Known for his award-winning documentary trilogy of the same name, Israeli-French writer and director Amos Gitaï adapts House (1980), A House in Jerusalem (1998), and News from Home / News from House (2006) into an invigorating theatrical spectacle. Produced and constructed by La Colline – théâtre national (Paris) as one, 140-minute theatrical piece, House (2023) offers an evocative and multi-layered exploration of history, identity, and memory; weaving together fragments of personal and political narratives, and exploring the layered history of a house in West Jerusalem as a microcosm of broader Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

At the heart of this production is the house, which is presented in the scenography (Amos Gitaï; Philippine Ordinaire) as scaffolding and bricks. It serves as a metaphor for meanings and memories for those who built it and those who called it home. The Palestinian Dajani family, who owned the house until 1948, the Algerian Jewish couple who took possession in 1956, the present-day Ashkenazi professor, the Iraqi Jewish contractor, and the stonecutter from near Beit Jalah all bring their own histories. Each individual’s connection to the house, and the way they respond to Gitaï’s probing questions of rightful ownership, reveals layers of identity, displacement, and belonging, with an unassuming honesty.

The narrative is driven effectively through its use of live folk music, featuring haunting loops of an electronic violin (Alexey Kochetkov), synthesised keyboard (musical director Richard Wilberforce), and the driving percussive sonority of the hammered dulcimer (Kioomars Musayyebi). A small ensemble of superlative singers (Benna Flinn, Nathan Mercieca, Danielle O’Neill, Laurence Pouderoux) provide an underscore of ethereal harmonies which augment the poignancy of memory exploration (cleverly sound designed by Éric Neveux). The house scaffolding itself also becomes the basis of a polyphonic percussion sequence performed by the whole cast, signifying the chaos and frustration of conflicting memories. The diversity of languages spoken on stage — including Arabic, English, French, Hebrew and Yiddish — intermingle in both spoken dialogue and singing, creating a linguistic soundscape that reflects the house’s diverse history. This multilingual approach enriches the themes of belonging, displacement, and the ever-present question of rightful ownership, as characters recount their experiences in their native tongues, weaving together shared and conflicting memories.

Amidst these languages, we also encounter the Iraqi Jewish contractor, Moussa, and a stonecutter from Beit Jalah, whose stories of labour and survival highlight the layers of identity that have constructed and reconstructed the house. The production’s blend of monologues gives voice to each character, allowing the audience to feel the weight of migration, memory, and the search for belonging. House (2023) is a captivating exploration of human experience, history, and the ongoing struggle for identity and ownership. This poignant and timely theatrical experience brings to life the personal and political layers embedded within the stone walls of a single house.

Playing at the Barbican 26 – 28 September, 2024, as part of a European tour.