Seven Jewish Children
Caryl Churchill's 10-minute play was written in response to the recent tragic events in Gaza. It not only confirms theatre's ability to react more rapidly than any other art form to global politics, but also makes a fascinating counterpoise to Marius von Mayenburg's The Stone, which precedes it at the Royal Court. Whereas The Stone shows how German children are often the victims of lies about family history, Churchill's play suggests Israeli children are subject to a barrage of contradictory information about past and present.
The work consists of seven cryptic scenes in which parents, grandparents and relatives debate how much children should know and not know. It moves, implicitly, from the Holocaust to the foundation of the state of Israel through the sundry Middle East wars up to the invasion of Gaza. At first, the advice indicates the deep divisions within Israel ("Tell her they want to drive us into the sea" / "Tell her they don't"); at the end, it becomes a ruthless justification for self-preservation ("Tell her we're the iron fist now, tell her it's the fog of war, tell her we won't stop killing them till we're safe")...
Read more @ The Guardian
20 February 2009.
WHat's so gutsy about that? Many Gazans probably hate their neighbours quite a lot atm...
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
The play is pure anti semitic drivel.
Where did you read about it? I had thought it had been accused of being antisemitic?
Not that I have seen/read it.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Thanks for the link.
Still don't see what the big deal is. Its just a play. It does show the evolution of thought though. Still don't think its gutsy to show it in Gaza. Maybe so if shown in Tel aviv, but even there I would doubt it.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.