Challenging the Old... In Creating the New

By Deborah Leiser-Moore in Australia

Recently Tashmadada brought acclaimed Israeli playwright, Motti Lerner, to Melbourne to collaborate/workshop with Australian theatre practitioners to develop his important new political play, Benedictus. The aim of his visit was also to start a dialogue between artists from different backgrounds as well as to educate and inform Australians about Israeli theatre and about this acclaimed Israeli artist.

Whilst in Australia, Motti had a full schedule, which not only included intense work on the play but also talks, meetings with well-known Australian playwrights, play readings and a film screening.

But, the main focus was to develop Lerner’s controversial new play Benedictus–deepening and developing the themes of the play, culminating in a public reading.

Benedictus is a razor sharp political thriller set forty-eight hours before a possible apocalyptic bombing of Iran, by America. Two Iranian men (one a Muslim and one a Jew), estranged childhood friends, agree to a secret meeting in a neutral zone of a Benedictine monastery in Italy. They hold the key to averting this international confrontation. But the passage of years and their lives in different countries have distanced them. The play challenges them to put aside these differences in order to achieve a solution.

The Australian artists working on the play were dramaturge Julian Meyrick, composer Elizabeth Drake, actors Majid Shokor, Matt Crosby, Robin Cuming and Greg Dyson and director Deborah Leiser-Moore.

The first week of the workshop was dedicated to research and exploration. It was important for Motti to gain an understanding of the position of Australians towards the Middle East. Conversely, Motti was able to give the Australian practitioners a sense of Middle Eastern perspectives and complexities. He also offered an insight into concerns of Israelis and others living in the Middle East. Together, the team explored the commonalities, connections and differences between Australia and the Middle East. A lot of discussion ensued – which was then related back to the play. This allowed for the ideas in the play to be deepened and developed and integrated further.

During this week, guests were invited into the process to engage in the discussion and give feedback to the work in process. These included theatre academic and playwright, Professor Peta Tait, writer, Arnold Zable, Richard Zimmermann and theatre practitioner, Yoni Prior.

The second week was dedicated to integrating all of the discussion of the first week and rehearsing the work for the public reading on Friday 27th June. The reading attracted a good size audience who responded very strongly and positively to the work. The reading was followed by a vibrant discussion/Q&A session. It was clear there was a keen interest to see a full-blown production of this insightful play. Whilst in Melbourne, Motti also participated in a number of other activities. These included a talk at the State Library of Victoria with Julian Meyrick on the theme: The Theatre of War - Art and Politics in the Time of Discontent, which provoked a vibrant discussion; and participation in Limmud Oz – an annual Festival of Jewish Learning, which was held this year at Monash University. As part of this program, Motti showed his film, Silence of the Sirens and had a reading of his play Hard Love. Both were followed by vibrant Question and Answer sessions and attracted a capacity audience.

Motti also met with our most highly regarded playwrights including, Wesley Enoch, Hannie Rayson, Patricia Cornelius, Christos Tsiolkas and Melissa Reeves. This proved to be an engaging and beneficial exchange of ideas and work practices in which Motti talked about his work and the Australian writers talked about the concerns and themes in their own writing.

This happened thanks to Hilary Glow who opened her house for the meeting. Hilary has recently written: In Power Plays: Australian Theatre and the Public Agenda, in which she investigates the work of some of Australia’s most successful playwrights who share a passion about the theatre as a forum for public discussion.

The intention is that this collaboration will continue and extend into a full production of the play, Benedictus, thus creating a major new Israeli/Australian theatre work. There has never been such a close working collaboration/exchange between Israeli and Australian theatre artists.

Motti was interviewed by Amanda Smith for our major national radio Arts Program, Artworks. This was broadcast twice during his visit and can also be heard on podcast.
www.abc.net.au/rn/artworks/stories/2008/2280785.htm
A Short Summary from Motti Lerner

The presentation of Benedictus in Melbourne on Friday June 27, 2008 was the climax of a two weeks intense rehearsal period. Here are some observations:

The play works in Australia, and will probably work universally. It seems that there is an audience for a play that deals with highly charged international political issues. The audience was interested in the characters and the plot and was engaged in the discussion afterwards.

The creative team found immediate connection to the material, and it seems that the theatrical tradition in Australia created artists who have thirst and skill to deal with such a political play, that puts politics in the front, as opposed to most political plays that put the politics in the back.

The presentation of the play created expectations for a full production of it, which will allow many more audiences to see it.

The idea of Australian-Israeli collaboration seems very inspiring. It was rather amazing to participate in the discussions in the rehearsal room and see how different collective experiences can supply different points of view on the same political issue, and how these differences are integrated in the creative process.

This collaboration between Australian and Israeli artists was a unique creative process. It proves that it can enrich both sides. It can also be a precedent for other artistic collaboration, which will eventually create a deeper and more significant cultural dialogue between the two countries.

Comments:

Hilary Glow: Motti was inspiring and compelling.

Christos Tsiolkas: Thanks again for organizing last Friday. I’m aching for more of that kind of discussion. I enjoyed reading Motti’s play. I thought it was tough, challenging, and authentic. Can you also please keep me in the loop for any future readings or performances of the play?

Carmela Levy-Stokes: I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the play reading (Hard Love). I think it's a superb piece. It's a complex piece with a number of dimensions explored in depth by Motti.

Arnold Zable: It was terrific meeting Motti. He is a man of great integrity and courage, as well as skill. I learnt a lot from him and from the whole process. I thought the reading was powerful - it was above the usual standard of readings -the actors were totally committed, which is a reflection of the intensity of the workshop process. Congratulations. Tashmadada is already a unique presence in both the Jewish and wider arts community.

Thanks to Besen Foundation, Embassy of Israel, Multicultural Arts Victoria, City of Yarra, Limmud Oz, Victorian Writers Centre, State Library of Victoria and Marsha Tauber for supporting this project.

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