The Lebanese National Theatre presents “Returning” featuring displaced youth

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As part of its ongoing efforts to revive Lebanon’s cultural scene, the Lebanese National Theatre in Beirut has announced a new theatrical production titled “Returning” (Rejiin), performed by a group of displaced young people. The initiative carries both artistic and humanitarian dimensions. The play is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, on the stage of the Lebanese National Theatre at the historic Colisée Cinema in Beirut’s Hamra district, one of the venues that has recently resumed hosting independent cultural activities in the capital.

This performance is part of an ongoing journey led by Lebanese theatre director Kassem Istanbouli, who has launched several initiatives aimed at restoring the role of theatre within marginalized communities and transforming it into a space for free expression and dialogue among diverse social groups. Involving displaced youth in this production is an extension of his broader project that merges art with social action. Here, theatre goes beyond entertainment to become a tool for healing and a platform for expressing difficult lived experiences.

Through its title, “Returning” reflects a collective longing for return whether to one’s homeland, to a sense of normalcy, or even to oneself altered by war and displacement. Through a raw and spontaneous live performance, participants aim to convey their personal stories and experiences to the audience using a physical and visual language that embodies both pain and hope.

The play gains particular significance in light of the challenges facing Lebanon, where cultural spaces are increasingly overshadowed by economic and social crises. In this context, any artistic initiative becomes an act of resistance. The choice of the Colisée Cinema, once closed and now reopened, also carries symbolic meaning, highlighting the possibility of renewal despite adversity.

Launch of the Lebanon Film Festival at the Historic Colisée Cinema with Arab and International Participation

Founder of the Lebanese National Theatre, actor and director Kassem Istanbouli, stated: “This work is not just a theatrical performance; it is a space for voices that are often marginalized. Through art, we aim to give these young people the opportunity to speak about themselves, their fears, their dreams, and their determination to live despite everything. For us, theatre is a daily act of resistance and a way to rebuild the human spirit from within.”

He added that the project seeks to break stereotypes about displaced people by presenting them as individuals with creative potential and stories worth telling. He emphasized that direct interaction with the audience is a core element of the experience, transforming the performance into an open dialogue between stage and spectators.

The show is open to the public in exchange for a symbolic contribution to support the theatre and ensure its continuity, reflecting the spirit of solidarity at the heart of the initiative. Organizers hope that this production will mark another step in reviving theatre as an inclusive space that transcends divisions and reaffirms the role of culture in building communities.

Ultimately, “Returning” is more than just a play title, it is an artistic statement posing an existential question: where can we return, and how can art become the path to that return? 

Perhaps the answer lies in that moment when young performers stand on stage, raising their hands toward the light, simply and sincerely declaring that hope is still possible.