A play about the seemingly intractable conflict between Israel and Palestine is being staged by a Frensham actor.

In the millennia before the establishment of globally-recognised nation states with rigid borders, first Jewish and then Arab populations lived on the land to the east of the Mediterranean Sea for lengthy but separate periods of time.

The Jewish state of Israel declared independence in the area in 1948 and since then all efforts to create separate countries called Israel and Palestine which can exist peacefully there as neighbours have failed.

Via Dolorosa was written in 1997 by Sir David Hare, who travelled through the region trying to understand its problems. His monologue will be delivered by Gary Hay.

Gary said: “In August 2024 I directed and starred in a successful run of Via Dolorosa by Sir David Hare at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The play was sold out for its nine-day run and we added two additional performances.

“At the end of June this year, I reprised the show at the Ustinov Studio in Bath for two nights, running alongside Sir David Hare’s new play, Grace Pervades. As before, we were almost sold out.”

Gary will give four performances in the Mill Studio at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford from October 9 to 11. There is a show every evening at 7.45pm, and a 2.45pm matinee on October 11.

Gary said he was staging the play because it dealt with issues affecting Israel and Palestine since Hamas atrocities in October 2023.

He added: “Those issues have not gone away since the latest ceasefire - indeed if anything they are accentuated. As the play predicts, the arguments over the future for the region, and in particular Gaza, haven't gone away.”

For tickets, priced £18 (concessions £12), call 01483 440000 or visit https://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/whats-on/via-dolorosa