Sykes-Picot: The Legacy: Five Modern Plays by Hannah Khalil, Hassan Abdulrazzak, and Joshua Hinds

The genesis of this collection of short plays was an event entitled Gather for Gaza organised by Arts Canteen in Walthamstow, London, in 2014.Among the items presented was a profoundly moving and disturbing performance of Hassan Abdulrazzak’s play The Tune is Always Better on the Outside and it became apparent in discussion with directors, actors, and playwrights that there is a growing body of work that explores aspects of the legacy of the Sykes-Picot agreement concluded during the First World War, and which continues to shape the destiny of the Middle East. It is hoped that this initial collection will result in performances, debate, and the writing of more plays around a theme that seems to grow evermore relevant.