A solo performance with Yousef Sweid by Isabella Sedlak & Yousef Sweid
It seems necessary to me to shed light on stories between the river and the sea that convey a different perspective and complexity — like the stories I have experienced in my life with Palestinians and Israelis, which constantly compel me to act as a bridge between them.
With small gestures, Sweid slips into the character of his father, his son, the divorce lawyer, and his ex-girlfriends – and captivates the audience. Yousef Sweid’s life story proves that a 'between' can exist. A beautiful, intelligent, funny, and profoundly humane evening – one that feels especially needed right now.
Which side are you on? The question is repeatedly asked of Sweid, from both directions. And perhaps rarely has it been so clear as on this evening what the imperatives of positioning mean, however understandable they may be from the perspective of those affected.
A small solo addressing the greatest of conflicts: Yousef Sweid tells of his life in the Middle East, standing at the crossroads of multiple identities – Palestinian, Israeli, Jewish, Arab-Christian, and Berliner. Stand-up theatre full of ease and open wounds.
Yousef Sweid is Palestinian — and Israel’s Best Actor 2025! Growing up in a Christian family in Haifa, everything was complex from the very beginning. The same is true today, as he lives in Berlin with his two Jewish-Arab children. Isabella Sedlak distills his memories into a sharp, moving, and often bitingly humorous text. An invitation to embrace contradictions. World premiere at Maxim Gorki Theater, Berlin.
“The play questions one-dimensional concepts in general. After our performances, audience members often approach us to share their own experiences of ‘in-betweenness’. I feel that the piece speaks to a longing for connection beyond binary categories – something urgently needed in an increasingly polarized world.”
Isabella Sedlak
The one-person play by Yousef Sweid and Isabella Sedlak, who also directed, premiered in April 2025 at the renowned Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin and captivated both audiences and critics alike.
After sold-out performances in Berlin, the production moved to the world’s largest stage for innovative theater – the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025 – where it received rave reviews, standing ovations, and overwhelming audience response. It became one of the festival’s standout productions, sparking conversations across cultures and generations.
The play, based on Sweid’s personal life and journey, grew out of countless conversations between Yousef Sweid and Isabella Sedlak. Together, they explored questions of identity, truth, and family life – or, as Sweid calls it, “my beautiful chaos.” Growing up as a Palestinian child in a Christian family in Haifa and now the father of two Jewish-Arab children in Berlin, Sweid confronts his own in-betweenness, arriving at a place where contradictions collide and slogans fail.
Their close friendship built the trust necessary for this production. After October 7 and the outbreak of war, when Sweid – like many others – sank into hopelessness, Sedlak became the friend who challenged him not to withdraw, but to reflect. She encouraged him to voice the contradictions he lived, transforming his stories into a sharp, moving, and often bitingly humorous dramatic text.
“I never wanted to reveal my life on stage. I love acting because I enjoy stepping into the roles of other people. But in these terrible times, it seems necessary to shed light on other stories between the river and the sea – stories that convey a different perspective and complexity, like those I have experienced in my life with Palestinians and Israelis, which constantly compel me to act as a bridge between them.”
Yousef Sweid
Director, Author
Actor, Author
Music
Thomas Moked Blum
Dramaturgy
Murat Dikenci
Dramaturgical Collaboration
Irina Szodruch
Lighting Design
Team Studiobühne
Assistant Director
Finn Noga
PR Management
Yuval Garber
Agency & Booking
Antje Oegel
In an intense solo performance, Yousef Sweid tells a story of identity, memory, and renewal. Isabella Sedlak’s direction creates evocative images and soundscapes that move both audiences and critics. Bring this extraordinary piece to your stage – and invite your audience to experience a story that resonates far beyond the evening itself.
