Baltimore's Center Stage presents 'Murder of Isaac'

If your idea of theater is similar to watching a television sitcom, stay away from this provocative play by Israeli playwright Motti Lerner, directed by Center Stage Artistic Director Irene Lewis. 

 

This is a courageous presentation. The author has worked extensively on this work since it was first presented in a "First Look" reading at the theater in 2002. Many of the current cast participated in that reading.

 

The Head Theater has been transformed into an Israeli rehabilitation center for victims of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and I have never witnessed such a realistic portrayal of individuals with this affliction. The year is 1998, three years after the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak (Isaac in English) Rabin. The hospital has typical harsh fluorescent lighting used to great effect. There is an institutional clock keeping real time, a drum and a piano. As the play enfolds first you hear examples of soft-rock then rap music in Hebrew. The Center Stage audience  becomes the audience of a presentation in the hospital ward regarding the assassination of Rabin.

 

At first, there is resistance on the part of some inmates not to proceed with the play due to the fact that 9 Israeli soldiers have just been killed. The character Avi (Chaz Mena) yells "There will be no play tonight. We won't make a mockery of the 9 soldiers who have just died". Lola (Mila Dillon), a volunteer at the hospital, who lost two sons in the war in Lebanon, adds "I know about mourning". Avner( David Margulies) who will play Rabin in the play states "Our war will never be over".

 

This leads to the first of many musical interludes (written by Eric Svejcar and performed effectively by Daniel Feyer) conducted by Lola. They sing "We are the Living Dead". The lighting shifts from the flourescent to the theatrical "Sweeney Todd" style lighting from floor up.The lyrics reflect the many wars of '82, '67, '56 and '48.

 

Lerner makes his point of view abundantly clear about religious fanaticism. When Avner attempts to meet ultra-orthodox Rabbis to discuss the Oslo peace accords, he must first convince them is clothing is kosher. The mantra of the play is espoused by Lola who states, "If you care about the living, care before you go to war."

 

The opposition of the liberal Rabin is portrayed convincingly by Yuda (Olek Krupa) who counters with "Power assures us of life. Who wants to be weak? We shall not survive by charity, but by power!"

 

Following intermission, while the play within the play has not yet been completed, you hear the emergency helicopters arriving with more wounded from the violence outside the hospital and with the news that another seven soldiers have died.

 

The ultra-orthodox Rabbi (Jeffrey Ware) continues his assault on the peace movement. "A Jew who kills an Arab is never a murderer. He continues, "Thou shall not kill does NOT apply to Arabs."

 

Many of the actors are Israeli and this factor certainly brings a touch of realism to the proceedings. The entire cast feels quite strongly about the focus of the play.

 

This became very apparent at the "Meet the Actors" session following the Friday night, Feb. 10 performance. The entire cast assembled to answer theatergoers' questions and comments about what they had just witnessed on stage.

 

Most members of the cast were appreciative of the large space utilized in the Head Theater for the piece.( I would have preferred a more intimate use of the Head which has been used in the past.) They felt while the play dealt with Israel, it could easily have occurred in any country, that the theme was universal. The book "Murder in the Name of God" was mentioned as a tool that was used.

 

One segment of the play displays the urination over Rabin's grave by religious fanatics. This event as it turns out really did occur.

 

Margulies (who many will recognize from his role as Tony Soprano's attorney on the HBO program) commented, "The audience makes up the play. We are only participants. We have never seen the play." He also added that the character of Binder is the voice of the playwright.

 

Charlotte Cohn (an Israeli actress playing the role of the scarred Talia who's body has been decimated by a suicide bomber)  added that one reason why the play has not been produced in Israel was it was not ready until now. She was asked if she sang for her audition. It was only during her call back that she was asked to sing--and what a voice she has. After listening to her voice, one can understand how she was cast in Baz Luhrmann's Broadway production of "La Boheme". She commented that the music in the play breaks up the dialogue. She stated how brave Irene Lewis and Center Stage were in taking on the play.

 

Chez Mena (Avi) retold a conversation he had with the author about his observations on a beach in Israel and noticed the missing limbs and scars on bathers. Usually, these are covered up. His view of a bikini-clad woman completely scarred was obviously the basis for the character of Talia.

 

Mena also told a very personal tale. He came to tears recalling an emotional story about his father who was scheduled to die at the hands of the Cuban leader Batista but was only saved due to the fact that the driver of the car taking him to his sure death had been a student of his. He related his father is still a victim of post-traumatic stress syndrome.

 

A special mention must be given to the program of the play. The section labeled "Next Stage", a joint effort among the Center Stage Departments of Community Programs & Education, Dramaturgy, and Public Relations is an extensive, educational addendum.

 

According to Irene Lewis, "This play offers no answers. But like many plays that I choose to produce, it poses the big questions in a daring and dramatic way – a way that defies easy solutions. And the consequences of our choices – seen or secret, at home and around the world- are what make the play so disturbingly relevant."

I couldn't agree more.

For more information, call 410-332-0033 or visit www.centerstage.org. The play continues through March 12.

 

 

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.