A sharply satirical, future‑facing drama by Palestinian writer Ahmed Masoud, APPLICATION 39 imagines a Gaza risen from ruin, unexpectedly awarded the right to host the 2048 Olympic Games, exactly 100 years after the Nakba. It is bold, irreverent, and rooted in lived testimony as well as speculative hope.

In APPLICATION 39, two young IT workers in the municipality of Gaza hack the bid process for the 2048 Olympics as a prank — and win. Their “victory” becomes a surreal yet pressing journey through occupation, bureaucracy, absurdity, and reconstruction. APPLICATION 39 draws on real‑life testimonies, including from Gaza itself, to pose a radical question: what if Gaza were no longer rubble and siege — but a site of global gathering, resistance and renewal?

An ETT, Matthew Schmolle Productions and Stratford East Co-Production.

This is more than just theatre. It is art, activism, political resistance and storytelling — painful, joyous, elemental and essential.

The Guardian

A tuneful melody of genres, Application 39 is not only a compelling piece of theatre, but an intricately woven, delicately layered piece of art.

All That Dazzles

It is, in itself, remarkable that such pain can be transmuted into an ambitious imaginative act that looks to the world beyond the now, and manages to see a future with hope.

The Stage

Application 39 wears its heart on its sleeve, and rightly so.

Stage Talk Magazine

Intimate, immersive and unforgettable.

Worth the Journey

An imaginative future-facing satire, rooted in undeniable hope.

A Youngish Perspective

Running time: Approximately 70 minutes.
Age Guidance: 14+
Content Warning: Loud noises and swearing, mentions of hate speech, war, and threats of violence

Booking information

Our online booking system doesn’t allow customers to leave isolated seats. We do this in order to prevent gaps in the auditorium.

Please note that our boxes have a slightly restricted view. Seats marked with an ‘i’ on the seating plan have a restricted view.

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Group bookings

If you buy nine standard rate tickets then you get the 10th free. Group bookings (of nine or more tickets) can only be booked over the phone or in person.

Application 39

Booking information

Group bookings

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