As war tears through Gaza, a father waits beneath the clouds for his daughters to come home.
The Return Project and Free Palestine Melbourne are proud to present The Return, a play by award winning Palestinian Australian writer and director, Ala’a Al Qaisi.
A powerful theatrical event not to be missed.
Part dream, part revelation, The Return is a haunting and visually stunning theatrical experience that transports audiences beyond the limits of time and space. Through magical realism, poetry, music, and powerful storytelling, the play invites us into a world where the dead speak, the living awaken, and even the deepest wounds become a doorway to transformation.
The Return is inspired by martyred Palestinian sisters, Nagham and Rozan Abu Samra, who were killed by an Israeli strike on Gaza in 2024. Nagham was a karate champion who would have represented Palestine at the Olympic Games. The play is dedicated to their father Marwan who lives on to share their legacy, and to all the beautiful souls whose lights were extinguished far too soon in the Gaza genocide.
Both intimate and epic, heartbreaking and unexpectedly humorous, The Return is more than a play, it is an unforgettable journey into the heart of grief, resilience, forgiveness, and hope.
This is a story that will stay with you long after the curtain falls.
Cast: Rashid Taki as Marwan, Ala’a Al Qaisi as Rozan, Mohammed El Kesm as Aviv and The Man, Ahlam Hijazi as Sarah.
The Return will play in theatres across Melbourne and regional Victoria from 15–22 September, including Brunswick, Keysborough, Ballarat and Castlemaine. It is the first time the play will be performed in the state following a successful Sydney run in 2025.
The Return Victoria 2026 Dates:
- September 15, 16, 17 and 20: Brunswick Mechanics Institute
- September 18: Ballarat Performing Arts Centre
- September 19: Chandler Community Centre, Keysborough
- September 22: The Phee Broadway Theatre, Castlemaine
Purchase Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/the-return-play-melbourne/tickets
This performance explores themes of war, grief, and psychological trauma. It includes descriptions of violence and loss. Recommended for audiences aged 15 and above.