An imaginative future-facing satire, rooted in undeniable hope
*some spoilers ahead*
The year is 2040, eight years before the 39th Olympics. Two young IT workers, Rayyan (James El-Sharawy) and Selma (Sama Rantisi), manage to hack the bid process and win unexpectedly. With this in mind, Application 39 imagines a Gaza risen from ruin in a somewhat absurd but all too recognisable future.
The poetic, comedic and surreal writing of Ahmed Masoud captures the ordinary people behind the political struggle well, as Rayyan and Selma get caught in the bureaucratic nightmare and global torment that their prank ensues.
It’s an almost unnervingly comedic beginning, but Application 39 refuses to define its characters simply by their trauma. Ghantus Wael’s humorous caricature of the President illustrates Masoud’s astute observations about sportswashing; the President is too keen to highlight Palestine’s culture to distract from Israel’s ongoing occupation, much to his deputy Lamma’s annoyance (Nadia Dawber) and our amusement. This is well met by the loving bond between Rayyan and Selma as they become part of the organising committee for the 2048 Olympics.
The four make up a strong ensemble, but it is perhaps Dawber we are most keen to focus on as we unpack the cost of the President’s decision to host the Olympics. Throughout, we return to her monologue before the International Olympic Committee, which initially helps steer the narrative. Amongst this, Masoud’s neat references to the Balfour Declaration, the Nakba and the events of October 7th ground the plot in a rich panorama of history, never letting us forget the past we have come from.
The play is interrupted halfway through as we are plunged into darkness: an explosion ripping across the stage. We’re brought back to Rayyan and Selma’s childhood, growing up in the shell of a war-torn Gaza. They recount the horrors of their past – or, in our case, the present. An adept use of lighting and sound design by Imogen Clarke and Ed Lewis transports us as witnesses to the genocide across our newspapers and screens. It’s entirely inescapable and all too familiar as the glimmers of the real-life testimonies behind Masoud’s writing become clear.
There is something almost of Sarah Kane’s Blasted here, as this fragment blows a hole right through the satire. The style shifts, thanks to the imaginative direction of Cressida Brown, as Rayyan and Selma try to escape the occupied city.
After this, the plot unfortunately becomes a bit muddled as we return to 2040. Scenes illustrating the process of preparing for the Olympics become static and the pacing is uneven. After the sustained tension built by the midpoint, our attention becomes slightly lost as their attempts to build stadiums and swimming pools under pressure from neighbouring Israel seem to lack gravity. The chemistry between El-Sharawy and Rantisi is undeniable but isn’t enough to keep up with the somewhat awkward structure as we jump closer to 2048.
In the end, we’re left with the image of Lamma and Selma side by side. We hear of the future that Selma dreams of, and there is a joyous and brilliant hope for something better. Whilst partly lacking a strong narrative throughline, Masoud’s ambitious blend of styles is certainly commendable.
Application 39 tours until 14th October. Tickets are available here.