2017 marked three major anniversaries for the Palestinian people: the centenary of the Balfour Declaration, the fiftieth year of Israel’s military occupation of the Palestinian Territories, and the tenth year of the blockade of Gaza. To change the record after a century of injustice, a pilgrimage set out to walk from London to Jerusalem – in penance, solidarity, and hope. This was the inspiration of award-winning playwright, actor, and musician Justin Butcher (Scaramouche Jones, The Madness of George Dubya, The Devil’s Passion), who worked with human rights charity Amos Trust to mount the Just Walk to Jerusalem, from June to November 2017. Calling for equal rights for all in the Holy Land, more than one hundred walkers took part. Nine walked the whole way.

Along Roman roads and refugee routes, with occasional outbreaks of blisters, tear gas and desert spirituality, in a feat of virtuoso storytelling accompanied by a video montage created by award-winning artists Damian Hale and David Shepherd from live footage along the route, Justin Butcher traces the perils, pratfalls and marvels of the path to Jerusalem. A chronicle of serendipity: happenstances hilarious, infuriating and occasionally numinous – or, as pilgrims might say, encounters with the Divine.

The New Theatre is funded by the Arts Council.
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Presented by The New Theatre in association with Dublin Theatre Festival.