Beautiful Resistance' - Youth theatre from Bethlehem tours UK

Alrowwad Youth Theatre

Fourteen young people from the Alrowwad Centre for Culture and Arts in Bethlehem, Palestine are visiting the UK this summer to experience life outside the constraints of their daily lives inside a refugee camp and tell their story through dance, music and film. The tour also features a number of special guests including Martyn Joseph, Reem Kelani, Garth Hewitt, Harry Baker, Grace Petrie, Katey Brooks, Saffron Records and others.

"As Palestinian refugees, we don't have the luxury of despair. We choose Beautiful Resistance" they say.

The tour started in London before they moved on to the Edinburgh Festival, Just Festival and the Festival of Politics in Edinburgh, performing in the Scottish Parliament.

This weekend they are performing at the Greenbelt Arts Festival. They will then return to London before concluding with special events in Bristol, Leeds and Derby.

See Alrowwad on Monday 29th August when they perform in Café Palestina in The Playhouse at the Greenbelt Arts Festival from 2.30 - 3.45pm

For advanced tickets see: www.greenbelt.org.uk/buy-tickets

Café Palestina will also feature: Martyn Joseph, Kate Bottley from Channel 4's 'Gogglebox', Garth Hewitt, Harry Baker, Katey Brooks,

On Wednesday, 31st August, they will be performing in Bristol, where Bridges For Communities presents a Palestine Peace Feast - a three course course meal and a show- at the Balcanic Restaurant, 569 Fishponds Road, Bristol, BS16 3AF 7.30 - 10pm. Tickets: £12 per person (not including drinks). To book call: 07816 638715

On Thursday, 1st September from 3-6.30pm Alrowwad Youth Theatre will perform a short dance on the front steps of St Paul's Cathedral prior to and after Evensong. They will also be attending and participating in the service itself. Tickets are free

On Saturday, 3rd September at 7pm there will be an Evening with Alrowwad Youth Theatre, Welsh singer-songwriter Martyn Joseph and special guest Grace Petrie at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, 235 Shaftsbury Avenue, London, nWC2H 8EP

Tickets: £20 (£14 concs.) available from www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-special-evening-with-martyn-joseph-grace-petrie-and-the-alrowwad-youth-theatre-tickets-25735162564

Compared to Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer, Bruce Cockburn and Dave Matthews, Martyn Joseph has created his own style and reputation as a mesmerising live performer and stands in his own right, built on a reputation for giving what thousands have described as the best live music experience of their lives. A unique talent driven by passion, social awareness and love for his trade, Martyn will sing songs from his new album 'Sanctuary' and draw on a wealth of material across his 35 year career.

Grace Petrie is a songwriter, activist and performer from Leicester, UK. She first exploded on to the national protest scene in 2010 with the emotive anthem 'Farewell to Welfare', which captured perfectly the spirit of the new wave of dissent in austerity Britain.

Since then she has quietly become one of the most prolific and respected songwriters working in the UK today. Among others, she'll be performing songs from her latest release, 'Whatever's Left' (2015), which charts the journey beyond protest singer, through political and personal change to emerge through shades of folk, Americana and country as a more mature songwriting voice.

The result is a collection of songs that provide a soundtrack to the modern struggle, with faith and with love, that will resonate with listeners everywhere.

On Sunday 4th September The Alrowwad Youth Theatre will bring Beautiful Resistance to Leeds, performing at Left Bank Leeds - a multidisciplinary arts venue set in an amazing Grade II* listed former church building in Cardingan Road, Leeds LS6 1LJ from 7-9.30pm

Run by the charity Word of Life, Left Bank's mission is to inspire and empower the community via a sustainable programme of arts and events that promote creativity, connection and wellbeing.

On Monday 5th September The Alrowwad Youth Theatre will play at The Voice Box in Derby from 7-9.30pm . The Voice Box is in Forman Street, Derby DE1 1JQ For tickets tel: 01332 295297

Tickets: £10 (£5 concs.) are available from Foulds Music, Irongate, Derby or by emailing Adrian Perry: adrianperry8@gmail.com.

This evening is hosted by Derby Palestine Solidarity Group. There are plans to hold a civic reception for the group with representatives from local mosques and churches and the City Council.

Click here to watch a short film about Alrowwad Centre for Culture & Arts in Aida Refugee Camp, Palestine: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFRg0EwNfbs