QUA means Strength in Arabic
We ran QUA in 2023-2024. Here’s what our participants had to say:
“Thank you so much ladies for a wonderful experience!!!”
“I loved the experience so much, thank you so much QUA beautiful ladies love you all. I can't wait for the next event” “
“Thank you guys for a lovely experienceee”
“Was amazing working with you all”
(there were a number of heart & love emojis included as well)
A three minute trailer from our sharing at BOLD Elephant in 2024.
Lead Artist - Sama Rantisi
Sama Rantisi is a London-based bilingual Palestinian actress and recipient of the Bertha Artivism Award 2023 for QUA, a devising project for MENA women non-actors (23-24). She graduated BA Acting at Marjon's University in Plymouth and has toured the Southwest in a successful production of Julius Caesar by the Actors’ Wheel.
Sama performed in “Light in me, don’t die” at the Barbican Theatre for International Women’s Day 8 March 2024; in Welcome to Gaza at Portobello Theatre in 2025, 5 *; in Terminal 1 at Glastonbury Festival 2025, an immersive theatre experience highlighting the UK’s immigration system.
Sama has recently performed in Application 39 part of Pal Art Festival at Theatro Technis (who have offered dates for this current iteration of QUA), 4* from the Guardian in May 2025.
Sama is a regular BÉZNĂ Theatre collaborator, having taken part in numerous R&Ds and performed in the People's Tribunal 2021, wipe these tears 2022 & the BÉZNĂ Kabaret 2023, as well as being the lead artist for QUA.
Sama’s performance as Ayshea in the People’s Tribunal was highlighted by Amelia Gentleman in a Guardian feature: “The windows on the car, they all smashed,” Palestinian actress Sama Rantisi will say, when she powerfully brings Ayshea back to life to give posthumous evidence.“
Sama is currently enrolled in an MA in Linguistics at Queen Mary University, where she is learning to harness the power of language and her bilinguality to strengthen her theatrical practice.
Sama in Application 39
by Ahmed Masoud
at Theatro Technis, 2025
Sama in wipe these tears
by BÉZNĂ Theatre
at Camden People’s Theatre, 2022
Sama in
Welcome to Gaza
at Portobello Theatre, 2025
Movement Director Mat Wernham and Facilitator Sînziana Cojocărescu ran Confluence together, an ACE-funded laboratory exploring acting with non-actors with a lived experience of refuge, through movement. The ensuing methodology will be used in QUA. Here’s what participants had to say:
Friday 19th
Exploring the lines within the chorus enabled me to access a state of flow where impulses and suggestions came with minimal effort. I acknowledged that an ensemble member doesn't need to do what everyone else is doing to be a part of the chorus. They can still contribute. Many images and emotions were created especially when singing became a key part of the chorus. Exploring the swinging sequence and transitioning into the free movement really enabled me to feel one with the group then have my own initiative once we started the reading the lines one after the other. Finally, the repeating of lines, especially the text of others, was vital in enabling a deeper understanding of my own and the text of others.
Saturday 20th
Heightening the physical and emotional experience through exercises really builds sensation and character before a scene.
Exploring the swings and how they can be incorporated in a scene was very profound for me as it enabled me to understand the beats and key moments in a scene better. The performance, if everyone is listening, starts to become a dance that is played on the rhythm of the writing.
What is gravity?
Gravity is the way the emotions and the life choices of a character affect your body. Making you feel lighter, heavier, slower, faster, direct, indirect, straight, and spiral. Which then offers you the choice of fighting the gravity by holding/engaging your core or letting go to gravity by centering yourself like a tree drawing energy from your feet.
Fusion: A person is never only one thing we are ever changing due to the stimuli given or internal turmoil. So, to truly become a person it is vital to fuse the Holding and letting go. But how do you do so without becoming lost in your head trying to control it all. That is where Gravity, though it is seen as something to keep you tethered to the ground. Sets you free.
As I center myself and think of my core as a bowl filled with water that can swish in a perfect 360-degree angle freely with no effort at all or engaged and forced as if I am trying to spill the water out of the bowl, I begin to free my body. In addition, the drawing of energy from the ground through the feet be it be a heavy step or a light breeze like step. I began to free my mind of the noise traffic the acting mind normally has of ‘I am angry here/ I need to be soft here/ I need to be quick here. Instead, Gravity becomes the chorus I follow. Keep in time to.
My body is the lead Actor, the conduit to release or hold onto the energy I am receiving. My voice the servant to all this merely doing not creating. It is at this moment I truly became my character. From a 7-year-old who didn't attend school until year 3 or understand anything that was happening until the age of 12, having learnt English as a third language. I can now say I truly understand now... well I have begun the journey of understanding and expressing truthfully. It FEELS LIKE FLYING. Thank You For making this possible and giving people with similar backgrounds like myself such opportunities!
Monday 15th
-A very profound few hours particularly with the first warmup. I found it very freeing and I truly felt I could became any character I wanted to be. The chain exercise was a new experience and I believe it can be of great use if all members can give in and respond with their body. Pushing the ground away from me helped me feel rooted, tall and full encompassing of my body.
Tuesday 16th
-I found I accessed a real state of flow and connection with my body during the sequenced swinging.
-I noted that the releasing of the body is vital before starting any work to truly be able to root.
Wednesday 17th
The partner release work on the hands and legs was very freeing and relaxing - creating a free base to begun working from. Learning of the descriptions of what it means to push up by actually pressing into the ground was a great discovery.
