The Bridge
Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh Fringe
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

THE BRIDGE is the story of a young man transporting olive oil across the West Bank to Jordan, a journey that requires him to take a bus across a heavily guarded bridge.

When most of us, especially an Edinburgh fringe audience, want to travel from one country to another it’s as simple as buying a ticket and showing up at the airport with a passport. For Palestinians, it’s a dangerous, arduous journey across a fly-infested bridge with Israeli guards holding guns at the far side and deciding the fate of those who wish to cross.

Shehada’s great skill as a writer and performer is to somehow make this all relatable. It’s a work rooted in the culture and idiosyncrasies of Palestinian society while at the same time universal in its themes: teenage crushes, petty bureaucracy, annoying but ultimately lovable relatives. Such is the strength of his comedic performances as he embodies the ragtag bunch of characters he encounters on the journey, that you can’t help but feel as if you know versions of them from your own life.

Yes there is a serious political message here, that is interwoven into the script, but this is primarily a comedy, one combining physicality, caricature, wordplay and wit. There’s only really one way to truly validate a comedy: if the audience are laughing it’s a hit, and despite being crammed into a stuffy, overly hot theatre, we are all in continuous fits of laughter, and the riotous ending sees us all on our feat for an extended standing ovation/dance to Palestinian music on board an imaginary airline.

Last year, Shehada’s The Horse of Jenin was probably my favourite show of the entire Fringe, and this year, I don’t see anything topping this. If you get the chance to see Shehada perform, take it.

Runs until August 16. For tickets see: edfringe.com