Walking to Jerusalem

Blisters, hope and other facts on the ground.

2017 marked three major anniversaries in the Palestinian struggle: the centenary of the Balfour Declaration, the fiftieth year of Israel’s military occupation of the Palestinian Territories, and the tenth year of the blockade of Gaza. To change the record after a century of injustice, a pilgrimage set out to walk from London to Jerusalem in penance, solidarity, and hope. This was the inspiration of award-winning playwright, actor, and musician Justin Butcher (Scaramouche Jones, The Madness of George Dubya, The Devils Passion), who worked with human rights charity Amos Trust to mount the Just Walk to Jerusalem.

Calling for equal rights for all in the Holy Land, more than one hundred walkers took part. Nine walked the whole way.

Walking journals and travellers’ tales on paths of pilgrimage and conquest, monasteries, mountain passes, Bedouin camps and desert wadis across Europe and the Middle East are brought to life in a playful and inventive blend of theatre and stand-up. Walking to Jerusalem is directed by acclaimed theatre maker Matilda Reith (The Good Times, The Andrea Project, Hotel Room), with a haunting and evocative soundscape by Jack C. Arnold (Wild Rose, War & Peace, Holy Flying Circus, Albatross) and video montage created from live footage along the route, by award-winning artist Damian Hale (Sigur Ros, Chemical Brothers, U2).

Along Roman roads and refugee routes, with occasional outbreaks of blisters, tear gas and desert spirituality, virtuoso storyteller Justin Butcher traces the perils, pratfalls and marvels of the path to Jerusalem. A chronicle of serendipity: happenstances hilarious, infuriating and occasionally numinous or, as pilgrims might say, encounters with the Divine.