Balfour Reparations (2025-2045)

This performance lecture explores ways to confront the United Kingdom’s colonial heritage in Palestine. Particularly the role of Arthur James Balfour, the country’s Prime Minister (1902–1905), Foreign Secretary (1916–1919), chancellor and rector of many distinguished British universities (1886–1930), in the historic denial of Palestinian political rights and self-determination in its homeland. Saleh achieves this through elements of speculative choreography and Afrofuturism, combining history, fiction and fantasy, while delving into and being inspired by archive material such as videos, photos and documents. The performance lecture is set in 2045 in order to reflect on the fictitious letter of apology which the United Kingdom would have issued in 2025 to the Palestinian people, promising them reparations. The audience becomes members of the reparation evaluation committee, set up on the 20th anniversary of the apology, and is invited to participate in the lecture.

Cincept and choreography: Farah Saleh in coopertaion with filmmaker/sound designer: Lucas Chih-Peng Kao 
Researcher: Nicola Perugini
Assosiated researcher: Luke Pell
Dancers: Nadia Khattab og Jamal Bajali 
Composers: Kim Moore & Wasef Jawhariya 
Graphic designer: Michaela Pointon 
Creative producer: Helen McIntosh 
PR: Joy Parkinson 

Supported by: Creative Scotland, The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH), Common Ground Festival and Culture &. 

Special thanks to: Adam Perugini Saleh, Ben Fletcher-Watson, Emil Perugini Saleh, Emily Nicholl, Hannah Draper, Joy Parkinson, Lauren Galligan, Lesley McAra, Mira Knoche, Pauline Clark, Qais Saleh, Sawsan Shunnar, Sophia Lycouris and Stitches