Hend Ayoub Photo by Jessica Palopoli

Ayoub begins the account of her life so far by enacting her excitement as a five-year-old preparing to go to a Purim party at her best friend's apartment, just across the hall from where she lives with her family. Young Hend is beyond anxious for the party to begin so she can show off her princess dress and tiara, Purim being a time for costume parties. Perhaps most exciting for Hend, it's also a time for the Jewish pastries called hamantaschen. These are triangular cookies some say represent the ears of the evil Haman who was executed after the biblical heroine Esther foiled his plan to exterminate the Jews of Persia.

In this glorious production, directed by Carey Perloff for San Francisco Playhouse and developed in conjunction with Golden Thread Productions, Z Space and Noor Theatre, the party does not go quite as Hend had hoped, for when the mostly Jewish children discover Hend is Arab, several shun her, sending her home, crying, and without the poppy seed hamantaschen she had been craving.

The next years don't go terribly well either, for Ayoub faces anti-Arab discrimination almost everywhere she goes. Deciding she wants to be a waitress, she applies for job after job, only to be told–as the job postings often state–that the position can only be filled after someone has completed their required military service. Her mother lies to her that this is so restaurants don't hire staff members only for them to leave to fulfill their military duties. Since Ayoub is Arab and not required (or allowed?) to serve, she thinks this restriction cannot apply to her. She soon learns the term is simply a code for "Arabs need not apply."

Frustrated by this, young Ayoub decides she will become an actress, but soon discovers parts for young Arab women are even harder to find than waitressing gigs. Ever optimistic, she decides to decamp to Egypt (one of two countries that offer residency to Israeli Arabs). But once the theatre and film communities in Cairo learn she is from Haifa, the potential roles there evaporate, as well.

Ultimately, Ayoub will end up on New York, where–as you might have guessed by now–the parts she is offered are "daughter of terrorist," "wife of terrorist," and, to Ayoub's horror, "mother of terrorist."

For a tale of frustration and thwarted ambition, Home? A Palestinian Woman's Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness is remarkably entertaining, thanks to Ayoub's charming stage presence, and her not insignificant acting skills. Through simple gestures and subtle shifts in body language, she is able to inhabit a range of the men and women she encounters during her struggles. Her mother is represented by an arm bent casually at the elbow, two fingers in the air, as if holding a cigarette. (Her mother's cough foretells a coming tragedy.) Her grandmother is brought to life with a stooped posture, with one hand pressed against the back of one hip.

As Ayoub's story circles back to that first experience of being "other," we are reminded that the struggle against racism is, regrettably, a neverending one. Although Ayoub's presence on the stage indicates she has, to a certain extent, overcome the forces that would hold her down, the show is a chilling reminder of just how closed-minded and short-sighted too many people can be. It's fitting that Home? A Palestinian Woman's Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness includes that question mark, because for Hend Ayoub, it seems the search continues. But there's no question that you should see this enlightening and entertaining theatrical experience. New Yorkers will have a chance to experience the show, as it will open at 59E59 Theaters beginning September 16.

Home? A Palestinian Woman's Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness, a San Francisco Playhouse production, plays through August 16, 2025, at Z Below, 470 Florida Street, San Francisco CA. Performances are Tuesdays-Thursdays at 7:00pm, Fridays at 5:00pm and 8:00pm and Saturdays at 2:00pm and 8:00pm. Tickets are $46 (including fees). For tickets and information, please visit www.sfplayhouse.org.