And are the Palestinians wholly innocent? Is Hamas the villain? When did the cycle of persecution and revenge really start? So many questions. But uniquely shocking? That is less certain - they displayed the mind-set of occupying forces down the ages. For myself, I find it impossible to see the conflict in terms of black and white - the more I look into the background, the more it seems a series of what ifs, if onlys, and how could theys? The actions of the Israeli army, sanctioned no doubt by their government, were shocking. (And shame on the BBC for not knowing the difference when they declined the offer to broadcast it). I was struck by the power of Caryl Churchill's swift response, in part because it is cast in the form of contradictions rather than answers, and it is drama not polemic. Like most people I was horrified by the stories and images coming from Gaza in January this year. The script is available as a downloadable PDF. The play has received criticism by being described as anti-semitic, such criticism has been countered with claims that it is critical of Israeli government policy, not of Jews. The playwright has not specified how many actors should perform the piece, and it has even been staged as a monologue. The dialogue takes the form of a litany, repeating the phrases "Tell her", "Don't tell her" to reflect the tension within Israel and the Jewish community over how to describe events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These include The Holocaust, Jewish immigration to Palestine and the creation of Israel. The play consists of seven scenes spread over roughly seventy years, in which Jewish adults discuss what, or whether, their children should be told about certain events in recent Jewish history that the play alludes to only indirectly. It was first performed at London's Royal Court Theatre in February 2009 and the playwright has allowed anyone to perform it gratis, so long as they hold a collection for the people of Gaza at the end of the performance, with proceeds to be sent to Medical Aid for Palestinians. 'Seven Jewish Children: A Play for Gaza' is a 10-minute play which Caryl Churchill wrote in response to the 2008-2009 Israel military strike on Gaza.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |