Shay Mace
Palestinian Syrian actor Arwa Omaren arrived in the UK to claim asylum in 2018, fleeing war-torn Damascus, walking through Kurdistan for weeks, and swimming across rivers, risking death and sexual assault. Now married, living in London, and raising a child (the first in her family to have citizenship in three generations), Arwa is bringing her story to the stage alongside a reinterpretation of Euripedes’ The Trojan Women. Her upcoming EdFringe solo show, Hecuba: Why Am I In Your Country? aims to explore 2,500 years of history in one voice, alongside the eternal nature of war, exile and loss.
We caught up with Arwa for a pixelated pint to explore the show, her story, Greek tragedy and more. You can catch Hecuba: Why Am I In Your Country? on August 5th – 31st (not the 12th or 18th) at Turret at Gilded Balloon Teviot from 11:50 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Shay: Hi Arwa – your upcoming EdFringe piece brings together The Trojan Women with your own story… Why did you decide to bring this to the stage, and how has it felt to create semi-autobiographical theatre?
Arwa: Bringing this piece to the stage came from a suggestion by Charlotte and William, who encouraged me to explore my own story in a one-woman format. Once I said yes, I wrote my personal story in just a couple of days, drawing from memories from childhood through to the present, and shared it with them.
From there, we worked quickly to shape it into a script and develop it for performance. It has been a very intense and fast creative process, but also a very focused and collaborative one. Creating semi-autobiographical theatre has felt both challenging and deeply meaningful, because it requires honesty while also shaping lived experience into performance.
Shay: How has the creative process been of putting this show together?
Arwa: The process moved very quickly. After writing my initial story, Charlotte and William supported me in developing it into a structured script. We had a very limited timeframe before our earlier presentation at the festival, so everything from writing to rehearsals happened within a couple of weeks.
It was intense, but also very exciting. We focused on keeping the essence of the story clear and making sure the audience could connect emotionally with it, even within the short development time.
Shay: What will be the first thing the audience sees, feels, and hears as they enter the space?
Arwa: A single woman on stage, in an intimate space. From the beginning, the audience is invited into a personal storytelling environment. I want them to feel close to the story and to listen deeply. The atmosphere is designed to be honest and direct, so that the audience immediately enters the emotional world of the piece.
Shay: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience?
Arwa: I hope audiences leave feeling a sense of connection and reflection. I want them to recognise shared humanity in the story, and to appreciate the different realities people live through. More than anything, I hope it encourages empathy and awareness of experiences that may feel distant but are deeply human.
Shay: What journey has the show been on to find itself at Edinburgh Fringe 2026?
Arwa: The journey of the show has been quite fast but very meaningful. It started with writing my personal story, which I shared with Charlotte and William, and then we began working together to develop it into a script. From there, we took it into rehearsal and brought it to life for performance.
Our first step with the work was at the Voila Festival, where we presented an early version of the show. After that, it was nominated as a finalist for the Off West End Awards (Offies), which was a very encouraging moment for us and gave the piece further recognition and momentum. From there, the journey naturally led us to the Edinburgh Fringe 2026, which feels like a major milestone and an exciting next chapter for the show.
Shay: If your show was a beverage, what would it be and why?
Arwa: It would be wine. First of all, I love wine, but for me it also represents something deeper. I imagine it as a drink shared among intimate people, where emotions naturally come out – laughter, tears, memories, and honest conversation.
Wine feels like a healing experience in itself. When I’m happy, I want to celebrate and feel even happier; when I’m sad, I want to sit with those feelings and express them. It’s a drink that holds both joy and sorrow at the same time. For me, wine is about connection – being with loved ones, communicating openly, and allowing emotions to flow freely in a shared space.
A reminder, you can catch Hecuba: Why Am I In Your Country? on August 5th – 31st (not the 12th or 18th) at Turret at Gilded Balloon Teviot from 11:50 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
