Qatar Museums Set to Host World Premiere of Musical Again

Production Overview

Qatar Museums will stage the world premiere of Again, a powerful new musical theatre production that explores the histories of struggle for freedom and self‑determination in South Africa and Palestine.

The show will take place at the Abdul Aziz Nasser Theatre in Souq Waqif from 27 October to 31 October 2026 and is presented in association with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, aiming to create space for dialogue and critical cultural conversation through live performance.

Creative Team and Collaborators

The work originates from an original idea by writer and historian Tariq Ali. It is realised by the Olivier Award‑winning Isango Ensemble from South Africa in collaboration with Palestinian writer Sondos Sabra, and was commissioned by Qatar Museums.

Mark Dornford‑May, co‑founder and artistic director of Isango Ensemble, directs the piece, with associate director Max Roberts and choreographer Lungelo Ngamlana. This marks the ensemble’s first appearance in the Gulf region.

Statements from Participants

Zeina Arida, Director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, said: “Again doesn’t ask audiences to observe history from a distance, it puts South African and Palestinian testimony on the same stage and asks us to listen. That is exactly the conversation Mathaf exists to host, and we are delighted that these talented performers will embark on their first journey in the Gulf here, in Doha.”

Mark Dornford‑May, Artistic Director of Again, said: “Again is about what happens when stories that are too often considered separately are allowed to speak to one another. As a South African company, Isango Ensemble bring their own lived and inherited experience of apartheid and resistance into the room, alongside Sondos’s words and Palestinian testimony. Our task has been to bring those voices together through music, movement and performance without collapsing their differences, and to create something that feels immediate, human and alive.”

Palestinian writer Sondos Sabra said: “When I wrote these words, I was trying to hold on to moments that might otherwise disappear to people, places and memories, and to the reality of what it means to live through loss and displacement. I never imagined they would find their way onto a stage. Hearing them carried by other voices is painful, but it is also a form of survival. If a story can still be told, it has not been erased.”

Tariq Ali, writer and historian, said: “Three years ago, I had the idea of bringing together two histories — South Africa and Palestine — and I’m pleased that Isango Ensemble have developed that idea for the stage. Many thanks to Qatar Museums, Mathaf and all who have played an important part in making this production a reality.”

Performance Details and Context

Combining music, movement and spoken word, the 90‑minute production brings the histories and experiences of South Africa and Palestine into dialogue, exploring themes of resistance and struggles for liberation.

It draws extensively on the words and testimony of Sondos Sabra, including selections from her diaries published in Voices of Resistance: Diaries of Genocide by Comma Press.

Featuring a 15‑member ensemble, Again weaves Sabra’s words with the performers’ lived and inherited experiences of apartheid, industrial decline, working‑class resistance, conflict and displacement.

Created over two years, the work features newly composed music, choral performance, physical movement and live testimony.

The performance is presented as part of the Qatar Creates Fall/Winter 2026‑27 season and also forms part of Evolution Nation, an 18‑month campaign honouring Qatar’s cultural journey over the past 50 years.