Palestine Comedy Club

On Tuesday, 3rd March, the Komedia Basement is hosting the Palestine Comedy Club, which is a bit different from a standard comedy night as it combines a documentary screening with live stand-up. The film, directed by Alaa Aliabdallah, follows six comedians from places like Haifa, Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron, and the Golan Heights. Over 97 minutes, it shows them developing a show about Palestinian identity and looking at how humour works as a tool for resistance against injustice. It’s essentially an exploration of how people find something to laugh about even in the middle of a difficult everyday reality, presented as a plea for humanity through the lens of performance.

If you're interested in the behind-the-scenes side of things, there’s actually a masterclass before the main event starts. At 17:00, producer Charlotte Knowles and director Sam Beale are running a session called 'Comedy as Resistance'. They’ll be talking about the mechanics of storytelling and how to take those lived experiences of resistance and turn them into a proper cinematic narrative using humour. For everyone else, doors open at 19:00 and the main programme gets going at 20:00. Since it’s in the basement, the seating isn't reserved, so you might want to get there when doors open if you have a preference for where you sit.

The night is recommended for ages 16 and up, mostly because of the focus on social activism and the political themes involved. The venue is fully accessible for those with mobility requirements, which is always helpful to know. While the exact ticket price for this specific Brighton date hasn't been confirmed yet, similar shows on this tour have been priced between £6 and £11.50, reflecting the charitable nature of the project. It’s a straightforward way to see how the Palestinian comedy scene is using both the screen and the stage to tell their own stories, moving from the documentary footage right into the live stand-up sets.