Paul Levy was in conversation with stand-up comedian, writer and actor Marena Riyad about theitre and stand-up piece MAJENIN – A Palestinian Love Story. “Majenin means ‘crazy people’ in Arabic. The Palestinian rom-com you’ve been waiting for: a tale of two fools who dare to love in a world obsessed with their sadness. Torn between New York, London and Palestine, the only place they truly feel at home is inside of their shared madness. Writer/performer Marena Riyad joins award-winning director Maiya Pascouche (4 Girls The First Letter E) and producer Aisha Josiah (Dickless). Blending theatre and stand-up, it’s an intimate, satirical, poetic occupation of the heart. “
In a wide-ranging interview, Marena talked about love, stand-up, her writing process and her journey into performance.
Written by: Marena Riyad
Directed by: Maiya Pascouche
Produced by: Natalie Chan and Kufiya Comedy
Supporting Producer: Justin Butcher
“Majenin – a Palestinian love story is a three-hander written and performed by Marena Riyad, alongside two other Palestinian actors, George Kreitem (My Guy) and Nadia Dawber (His Girl). Majenin is an Arabic word meaning ‘crazy people’, and this story is about the madness of love that occupies oneself once you surrender to it. It is an intimate love story unfolding between London and New York. Blending theatre and stand-up, the piece moves from romantic realism to psychological interiority, bookended with stand-up comedy routines, with the protagonist split between her outer self and her inner ‘lover girl’ narrator. The audience will witness both her surrender to love and the self-awareness of her unravelling in real time.
I”n tone, it’s similar to Before Sunrise and the confessional sharpness of Fleabag, drawing on the mythological Arabic storytelling of Layla and Majnun.“
