Balfour Reparations (2025-2045)

This performance lecture investigates ways of confronting the United Kingdom’s colonial legacy in Palestine. In particular, the role of Arthur James Balfour, the country’s Prime Minister (1902-1905), Foreign Secretary (1916-1919), Chancellor and Rector of many UK prominent universities (1886-1930), in the historical denial of Palestinian political rights and self-determination in their homeland. Saleh does that through elements of Speculative Choreography and Afrofuturism that combine history, fiction and fantasy, while engaging with and being inspired by archival material, such as videos, photos, and documents. The performance lecture takes place in 2045 to reflect on the fictive apology letter that the United Kingdom will have issued in 2025 to the Palestinian people promising them reparations. The audience become members of the reparations’ evaluation committee created on the 20th anniversary of the apology and are invited to participate in the performance.

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 

Funded 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