HOME PAGE – THE PLAY-TEXT
– CAST LIST – PRESS REVIEW – THE JEW OF MALTA –TWO SONGS
JUDITH AND HOLOFERNES – AN ACCOUNT OF
THE DEPORTATIONS – THE JERUSALEM OF THE BALKANS
"Les Juifs de Salonique…"
by Ed Emery and
Richard Fredman
Thanks to:
Rosanna Lowe, Jeremy Avis, Andrie Yiakoumetti, Pete Jackson-Maine, Hazel
Francomb, and the Company of
NOTE: This is the first working version of
the play, which was written for performance at the Cottesloe Theatre,
Cast
and Characters
In the original production we had a cast
of 16, as follows (real names, followed by stage names)
[ Beatrice Bertram ] – Loutcha Lappas.
Early 20s. Well-dressed. Works in “Daddy’s” clothes
shop. Clearly wealthy and spoiled. Having numerous affairs. Loves the passion
and romance of drama. Plays helpless heroines. Has just played Ophelia.
A-religious and apolitical.
[ Alex Bigg ] – Vina Zaraya.
Librarian. 40 and single. Quirky dress sense.
Passionate engagement in literature. Particularly tragedy. Good at being killed
on stage. Quite religious.
[ Myfanwy Cooper ] – Hana Yenni.
Late 20s and has learning difficulties. Works as a
“handiman” although Very clumsy. Comes to life playing comic male roles on
stage. Wears male clothes to the theatre group. Well versed in religious lore.
[ John Dumont ] – Youda Levy.
Aged 42 –
married with children – runs tobacco company. Key player in the troupe.
Rehearsals take place in his tobacco warehouse.
[ Claire Durant ] – Sol Pardo.
Aged 14. Large family who ignore her
because she is not like them. Wants to
join the circus Things tend to break when she is around. Gets given little
clowny bits in the shows. Not religious. Hates the Germans with a vengeance.
[ Kate Gault ] – Esther Torres.
Aged 30. Pharmacist. Widow and single parent. Husband
killed during war against Italians (i.e. recently bereaved). Religious, but
doubting. Keen to resist Germans. Has just played Gertrude.
[ Alex Jenyon ] – Avraham Stroumsa.
Aged 21 – known as Avi for short – parents wanted him
to be a rabbi – he ganged up with a Klezmer band and has learned some Yiddish,
but also likes Greek stuff, although he hates the time signature. Helps Aron
out with his puppet shows.
[ Helena Johnson ] – Bertha Levy.
Aged 45. Wife to Youda. Big in local
organisations, especially am dram. Plays most of the major roles. Why didn’t
she do Gertrude? Too much to do now the Germans are here on the Community
Council. Played Therese Raquin. Believes that order and appeasement are the
best ways forward for the Jews. Religious. Politically conservative. Does not like
Partisans because they all tend to be communist. Specialises in expressive
faces.
[ Emily Leslie ] – Anna Matathias.
Aged in 40s. Widow. Has four sons who help her run her
olive oil business. Enjoys organising, wants to direct and is bitter about her rejection
by Aron. Strong views about the German treatment of the Jews. Lost religion
when her husband died.
[ Hannah Menhinick ] – Tamar Mallah’.
Mid 20s. Daughter of Aron. Doctor’s
secretary. Likes playing vivacious and drunken women. Embarrassed by Aron’s
puppeteering. Angry with Germans for commandeering medical supplies. Not
particularly religious.
[ Richard Rusk ] – Joseph Mallah’
Aged 24 – carpenter and son of Aron. Passionate Trade
Unionist and ashamed of his father’s reactionary activities. Wants to join the
partisans in the hills.
[ Alex Scott ] – Moise Matarasso.
Aged 30 – semi literate. 3 years in the
troupe – a manual worker – is learning to read – very keen to play anything.
Slight rivalry with Joseph as key male player.
[ Richard Smith ] – David Lea.
Aged 35 – single – teacher of history. Not
religious. Very angry with Aron for his betrayal of principle. Plays Guards –
is guardian of history – intricate knowledge of the cabbalah ( Sabbotei Sevy
etc…). Was writing history of Jews in Salonica.
[ Sam Worboys ] – Aron Mallah’.
Aged 52 – a printer by trade, but also a
puppeteer and founder of the troupe. His press is now closed, so he performs
Karaghiozis still, including to the Germans. Was in partnership with David to
publish his history of Salonica
[ Heather Yeadon ] – Rosa H’Alegoua.
Aged 19. Just joined. Does comic characterisation, but
has not yet been in anything with the troupe.
Opening
A line of suitcases across the upper stage.
Sam enters. As he opens each suitcase it speaks with the voice of its owner.
Eventually, all the cases are open and talking. The cast enter and close their
suitcases together. They speak an approximation of the following text:
VOICES: Hello,
I'm Sam and I'm an actor .....Hello, I’m Kate and I’m an actor – yes – yes –
I’m an actor too – we’re all actors – yes – all actors – and we’re about to
perform “Les Juifs de Salonique” – what? – “Les Juifs de Salonique” – The Jews
of Salonica – is it in French? – no – but it’s got a French title – yes –but
it’s not in French – no – are you wondering “why French?” – – yes – all will
become clear – it’s just pretentious isn’t it? – no, it’s all with a very good
reason – what then? – c’est bien simple, c’est que l’histoire
a ete ecrit a
And they speak Ladino – like this – … … – even if you
spoke Ladino you wouldn’t have understood that – because it was a theatrical
pastiche of Ladino – because we don’t speak Ladino either – we don’t want to
offend true Ladino speakers – but that is, of course, how Ladino speakers would
have appeared to Greeks -
So are we ready for the big opening – we’re ready for
the big opening now – we hope you’ll be able to understand the various levels –
so ready for the big opening – starting positions please – Les Juifs de
Salonique …
The cast process to the music
of the accordion. At the end of the sequence they are grouped USL.
ADD IN ??? Someone else do
INFO ABOUT SALONICAN GEOGRAPHY ....
(David steps forward (Richard S)):
I shall now tell you about some key moments of Salonican History:
It all began over two thousand years ago when Alexander the
Great’s heir fought a mighty dragon (cast, as naughty kids, produce dragon).
You silly children – Alexander’s heir killed the dragon (John kills it –
attempted revival ER style). And so he built the city of
VOICES: 140 BC: The First
Jews arrive in from
Jews enjoy wide autonomy during Roman era.
12th Century: siege and destruction by Normans, then the Franks,
then the Serbs.
1400s: Jews from
1492: fleeing the Reconquista in
The Sephardim build trade in mining and printing.
Salonica becomes a theological centre, attracting rabbis, poets
and physicians.
Waves of Jewish refugees arrive from
The immigrants are big in textiles.
The city is ravaged by the fires of 1545, 1890, 1896 and 1898.
1891: More Jews arrive from
1930: sees the pogrom of the
By WW2,
55,000 Jews remain; dockers, porters, tobacco workers, shopkeepers,
intellectuals
The Jewish population fights in the Greek army against the
Italians.
Sound of trucks, motorcycles and tanks.
Harsh German voices. We see German icons on the shadow puppet screen. Into the
registration sequence. Desk, chair and typewriter DSR. Proclamation DSL. Cast
don the “Cocarda”- yellow star. They move to the front and
"register".
Proclamation to the Jews of
Salonica
All Jews who come under the
jurisdiction of the German administration must remain in their current places
of residence. Jews are forbidden to leave or exchange residencies. Jews who are
now in Salonica and its vicinity must report themselves within 3 days at the
Jewish Community Centre of Salonica and write their names on the lists there.
At that time they must give their addresses. Jews who do not obey this order
will be shot immediately. Non-Jews, who either shelter Jews or help them to
escape, will immediately be sent to concentration camps or given a more severe
punishment. The Jewish Community of Salonica is named the sole agent for all
Jewish affairs in
On screen we see the registration forms
projected as the cast speak. Each delivers:
Surname / First Name / DoB / Son of or
wife of .... / Wife / Children / Signature (Greek / Thumb) Identity Number
27583
VOICES: The
registration forms were microfilmed by the Russians – they are the only
existing records of the lives of the Jews of Salonica at this time – we wanted
to find a way to understand the personal experiences of the people – but there
isn't anything – well, there is – yes, but it's in French – exactly – Les Juifs
de Salonique – a Greek guy – and a Jewish Greek woman – write the only two
attempted histories – but they write them in Paris – in French – so, with
nothing to go on but imagination – we created a Jewish Theatre Group – they had
them – we know that – they did plays like – Therese Raquin – Les Miserables –
Classics like Moliere and Shakespeare – The Dybbuk – they would have been
suppressed – but they would have been actors like us – we thought we could
understand them – we'd know how to play them – sort of – we're going to move on
to the amateur dramatics group now – positions everybody – stage directions – a
disused tobacco warehouse on the outskirts of Salonica – shafts of light pick
out trunks and cases – the whole group is there – except Loutcha, who is late [she
leaves with an 'oh!'] – the atmosphere is tense – yet jovial – desperate
people trying to make the best of a desperate situation – remember – you
haven’t met for at least four months – any animosities are forgotten in the joy
of finding each other again – ready – begin –
The cast greet each other enthusiastically as members
of the troupe, Bertha eventually brings them to order.
BERTHA:
Good morning everybody. I’m so glad you could all be here. I’d like to start by
introducing Rosa H’Alegoua, who is a friend of Loutcha’s and has wanted to join
us for some time (hellos all round). I’m sure we’ll all get to know each other
very soon,
DAVID: Shhh…
BERTHA:
The meeting began by congratulating all involved in the recent triumphal
production of Hamlet in the community hall of the Synagogue in Kalamaria.
Particularly singled out for mention was, of course, Joseph Mallah’, son of our
noble founder Aron, for his masterful performance of the lead role (applause),
Aron himself for a wily Polonius (applause), David for a very sinister Claudius
(applause), Loutcha (where is she?) for a deeply disturbed Ophelia (applause),
and Esther for a compelling and truly felt Gertrude (applause). Thanks also
went to Avi for his Laertes and for finding some excellent medieval music
(applause), to Vina for all her help with publicity and front-of-house, you got
half the congregation in, Vina … (applause), and to Tamar for standing in as
second gravedigger with Moise due to the indisposition of Hana (applause). Glad
to see you back with us, Hana.
HANA:
Much better, thank you.
BERTHA:
Good. Huge thanks also went to Youda for his first stab at directing, deemed by
all to have been a great success – many more please, Youda (applause).
VINA:
What about you, Bertha. Don’t forget we discussed you at that meeting.
BERTHA:
It’s so long ago I’ve almost forgotten. March. And where are we now? July. Four
months.
ESTHER:
What was said about you Bertha? I couldn’t be there, if you remember.
BERTHA:
Of course. Poor Salomon’s stone setting. I’m so sorry Esther. I’m afraid I
don’t recall the details, I didn’t write them down.
ANNA:
Bertha, you’re just being bashful. I shall tell Esther. The meeting regretted
the fact that Bertha had been unable to be on stage with us as she has been
these past ten years, due to the excessive burden placed on her by her work for
the Community Council. And we all said how grateful we were that she was
willing to get involved with those hideous Germans and act on our behalf. You
are a hero, Bertha (applause).
TAMAR:
Bertha managed to persuade them to increase the allowance of medicines to the
practice.
DAVID:
And she managed to get some writing paper for the school
JOSEPH:
Can you get us a radio, Bertha? There must be a way?
BERTHA:
No, Joseph. You asked me that in March. That would be deemed a capital offense.
You know I can’t take that risk.
ARON:
We can only ask Bertha to do things that are safe and that won’t lose her the
trust of the Germans.
JOSEPH:
And we all know why that’s important …
TAMAR:
Joseph!
YOUDA:
I’ll have you know that Bertha is constantly taking risks for all of us, and
it’s not for the likes of you … .
BERTHA:
It’s all right, Youda. I presume Joseph is referring to the supposed benefits
of working on the Jewish Council?
DAVID:
Let’s get back to the agenda shall we?
BERTHA:
Yes, thank you, David. The meeting then went on to consider the restrictions
placed on the activities of the group by the occupying German forces’ curfew
and the impending ban on all theatrical productions by Jewish theatre groups.
ANNA:
Result – we can’t meet and we don’t put any plays on…
ESTHER:
Why do they want to stop us doing theatre? What threat are we to them putting
plays on?
MOISE:
There’s no work. What else are we supposed to do?
SOL:
Great time to join,
ARON:
It’s not that that worries them. It’s Jews being seen as normal, as equal with
everyone else; Jews engaged in commerce and culture.
ESTHER:
Except when it’s useful to them – they’re happy enough to raid my medical
supplies in the pharmacy.
TAMAR:
And call on the doctor’s services, no matter how many patients are sitting in
the waiting room.
DAVID:
Of course, they’re happy enough to watch Jews doing theatre when it suits them,
eh, Aron?
ANNA:
We should do something. Demonstrate, write to the government, anything …
Joseph;
They are the government.
BERTHA:
Thank you, Anna. We all feel strongly about it and have arranged this meeting
to formulate a plan of action. Our thanks go to Youda, by the way, for allowing
us to use his warehouse (applause).
YOUDA:
The Nazis may have got my shop but I’m damned if they’re getting the warehouse.
HANA:
Where’s all the tobacco?
YOUDA:
Can’t get any new stock. Supply routes are too dangerous. Daft really. I’m sure
the Germans like a smoke as well as the rest of us – they’ve resorted to
intercepting supplies to the Italians further south.
ESTHER:
Beautiful smell, Youda, so rich and sweet. Almost makes me want to take up
smoking.
BERTHA:
A bit late for that Esther.
AVI:
You must have some somewhere. I’m gasping. Haven’t had a smoke for weeks.
VINA:
It’s just like my books – there’s a mustiness, but it’s also really sweet. In
the library, some of the books are so old you can almost taste the pages.
They’ve taken so many.
ANNA:
Perhaps that’s what they’re smoking.
VINA:
What?
Anna;
The books. They’re shredding them up and rolling them like cigars.
VINA:
No! Why would the want to smoke great Jewish literature?
TAMAR:
Packet of great Jewish literature please.
JOSEPH:
[Smelling his cigar] ah the finest hand-rolled Maimonides. Oh, and
twenty Bashevis Singers, please. Anyone got a light?
DAVID:
Of course, in
BERTHA:
But that was Communist literature, David, that was subversive.
JOSEPH:
Subversive? Because it’s Communist?
VINA:
But look at what they took. What’s subversive about the Cabbalah in this day
and age? Who wants a Haggadah in Ladino?
ARON: They’re not burning them,
they’re collecting them, for a library of Jewish Culture somewhere in
ANNA:
I heard the same, and if it’s true, then we’re being plundered. It’s cultural
rape and nothing more.
DAVID:
All the more reason why we should hang on to our culture, why we should meet
now.
[There
is a knock on the door – they all freeze]
SOL:
That’s not the knock
DAVID:
I’ll have a look. I’ve widened a little gap in the planking a few feet from the
door. Everybody quiet.
[He
re-enters with Loutcha, who is well dressed]
Loutcha;
I’m really sorry, I just couldn’t remember whether it was tap --- taptaptap or
taptaptap ---- tap. Sorry, everybody. Am I really late? I thought we weren’t
supposed to arrive together?
JOSEPH:
Yes, but we don’t need to turn up at half-hour intervals.
LOUTCHA:
Oh dear, I’m not very good at this cloak and dagger stuff am I?
ESTHER:
Cocarda! Cocarda!
LOUTCHA:
What?
ESTHER:
Your star! [She removes it]
ANNA:
And you forgot the knock. We must be discrete. This has got to remain a secret
activity.
ESTHER:
This is madness – hiding out, and for what? We can’t even make theatre, we can
only talk about it.
ARON: Of course we can make theatre. And that’s
exactly what we should do.
ESTHER: How?
AVI: We could prepare little scenes and…
TAMAR: For who?
SOL: For us!
HANA:
Yes. For us. We could perform them to ourselves.
MOISE:
We could do lots of improvising.
YOUDA: We could do farces.
JOSEPH: Yeah, political farces.
YOUDA: Or just funny ones.
LOUTCHA:
We could do thrillers. I love thrillers.
VINA:
It’s a comic play form that started in Ancient Rome, but has found its clearest
modern exponents in the French tradition deriving from Moliere. It’s a French
word. Farcie!
ANNA: We’re always doing French stuff – Zola, Victor
Hugo, Hamlet
LOUTCHA:
Come on Anna, even I know that Hamlet’s Danish!
DAVID: Shakespeare was not Danish.
LOUTCHA:
DAVID: Shakespeare was English. The play was written
in English.
ANNA: Well why didn’t we do it in English?
BERTHA: None of us speak English, Anna.
TAMAR: It would be nice to do something in our
languages. In Hebrew or in Ladino.
Aron; We did the Dybbuk.
TAMAR:
But that was originally in Yiddish. Avi’s the only one who speaks any Yiddish
here.
MOISE:
We should write our own play. In Ladino. About us. About the Jews of Salonica.
JOSEPH:
No. We should write in Greek, because we are Greeks. I work for the
Greek municipality. Jews fight in the Greek army. The only way forward is to
ally ourselves with the struggle of the Greek Working Class…
BERTHA:
Joseph, not another political diatribe, please. We should keep politics out of
our discussions. It’s too divisive.
JOSEPH:
How can you keep politics out? What’s more political than the theatre? I’m
always being silenced here. When it comes to censorship, what’s the difference
between this and the Germans?
DAVID:
Oh don’t be so melodramatic, Joseph.
JOSEPH:
I am not being mel… .
MOISE:
That’s it. Let’s do Melodrama. It’s like the silent movies. I saw this one once
where this poor helpless girl had been thrown out by her parents
LOUTCHA:
That’s me. I’d play her. I do “helpless” really well.
LOUTCHA:
Well we can’t both play the same girl, Rosa.
MOISE:
No, no, there were two of them. I mean, she calls on her friend who’s just
discovered that her father’s an evil mastermind, who’s trying to take over the
world.
ARON:
That’s me. That’s me. How did she find out?
MOISE:
She overheard him talking to his accomplice, a ragged servant with a hump back.
Josef?
[Aron
and Josef improvise BRIEF dialogue]
ESTHER:
Where’s the mother?
MOISE:
Busy with a cocktail party upstairs and getting steadily drunk, because her
husband’s not there and she thinks he’s with another woman.
ESTHER:
Tamar! You do the drunks.
TAMAR:
True. [She begins hosting a party in another part of the stage]
ESTHER:
And I do “the other woman”. [Esther begins slinking around making Tamar jealous]
ANNA:
Moise, I want a part. Quickly. Can I be the police or something?
MOISE:
They don’t get there till later.
ANNA:
Well, who can I be?
LOUTCHA:
What do we do now we’ve overheard them plotting? We’re just standing here.
BERTHA:
Moise, you will find a part for Hana, won’t you?
MOISE:
Just wait a minute. Wait a minute. A finely crafted melodrama is an artwork.
You can’t just shovel everyone in. The Mastermind and his servant are plotting
[repeat dialogue], plotting to drug everyone at the party and turn them
into his mindless slaves. He’ll take over the world with them. They’ll believe
whatever he tells them. He’s invented a potion that wipes your brain clean,
like chalk off a blackboard. He is just brewing a final batch of potion, when
he overhears the girls whispering [dialogue – Avi supports with diminished
sevenths]. He and his man surprise them [Aaaah!] and tie them up [they
do so]. They plan to test the potion on them. On his own daughter. Who are
helpless! Meanwhile, upstairs, the mother is so drunk she confronts the “other”
woman. All the other guests, who are also drunk, stop to watch, and then a
fight breaks out [sequence – Sol does dive rolls – Anna does not join in]…
Anna?…
ANNA:
Surely they wouldn’t all fight?
MOISE:
Did you see this film or did I? [she fights reluctantly]. Meanwhile, the
daughter’s fiancé is passing outside the house [David and Youda both shape
up]. Her TWO fiancés are passing outside the house. They’re worried because
she was due to meet them an hour ago.
VINA:
Are you sure about this film?
LOUTCHA:
Of course he is.
MOISE:
He sees the fight through the window and he bursts in [all freeze]. They tell
him the daughter is downstairs. He rushes down to be greeted by the most
terrible sight zombies and laughing villains]. The lovers immediately
fetch the police [Hana and Bertha] and a chase ensues. One guest gets
killed by mistake [Vina] and dies horribly [she is shot by Josef and
responds by shooting them all – the dead bodies lie on the stage for an uncomfortably
long time].
VOICES: What happens next – is this it – is this
what – it – the next section – do you think that was convincing? – what? –
convincing – well, they’ll have got the idea – I remember – it’s Karaghiozis –
ah, Karaghiozis – the shadow puppets –
While
Avi plays, the curtains are drawn back to reveal the shadow screen. It is
wheeled forward.
Joseph,
Loutcha and Hana go backstage to change. Others prepare to operate the puppets.
The
remainder
settle themselves down as a makeshift Sound Effects Orchestra
Yes,
this is where we do the Karaghiozis – we've made a screen – and got some lights
– you wouldn't believe how long it took us to make the puppets – and
learn to use them – it's a really Greek thing – but why we're doing it won't become
clear for a while – but that's OK – it's deliberate – we don't want to make it
too easy for you – don't want you nodding off thinking you've worked it all out
– and that it's just a load of actors playing Jews and we all know what happens
– so look out for the layers – but in the meantime enjoy the show -
ARON: Ladies and gentlemen…
Boys and girls… Roll up, roll up… Oriste… Peraste… Karaghiozis is in town
tonight… !
So where, you might be
wondering, is Karaghiozis? Karaghiozis!!! Karaghiozis! Karaghiozis! [He
bangs on the door]
KARAGHIOZIS: [puppet] I'm not in.
ARON: What d'you mean? You just answered so you
must be in.
KARAGHIOZIS: You're the tax man and I'm not in. Today is Thursday
and that's the day the tax man comes, and I'm always not in for the tax man, so
that means I'm not in.
ARON:: But today's not Thursday it's Friday.
KARAGHIOZIS: In that case I'm in. Hello what can I do for
you.
ARON: [A pause] Aren't you going to open
the door?
KARAGHIOZIS: Sorry, no, I can't stand draughts.
ARON: What do you mean,
draughts, half your window-panes are missing, there're gaps all round the door
frame, and you've hardly even got any tiles on the roof…
KARAGHIOZIS: That's because people like you keep banging
on my door… Myself, I'd rather live in a house without a door, because that way
people couldn't keep banging at it.
ARON: Honestly, I can't believe how you can live in
a dump like this. What do you do when it rains.
KARAGHIOZIS: [He comes out of the shack] We all
come outside so's we don't get wet. Har, har, har… [He groans] Argh…
Ooorgh… I'm starving…
ARON: You're starving!
I'm not exactly in the lap of luxury myself, either, or has it escaped your
notice? And the only way I'm going to get a meal tonight is if you get out of
that bed of yours and come and do what you're supposed to do. There's work to
be done. If you don't work, I don't eat, and if I don't
work, you don't eat. Remember?
KARAGHIOZIS: Work, work, work, is that all you ever think
about? That's what I mean… that way people couldn't keep banging at it… and
talking about work all the time.
ARON: Karaghiozis, it's about time you got a job…
KARAGHIOZIS: Does that mean we're about to do the one
about "Karaghiozis Gets a Job"?
ARON: Yes. The boys and girls are all here. And
that's the one we're going to do…
KARAGHIOZIS: Already here?
ARON: Yes.
KARAGHIOZIS: What, and paid to get in…
ARON: Yes.
KARAGHIOZIS: Oh alright then… if we absolutely have to…
! [He gets himself into performing mode]. Avanti, Maestro! La bella
musica! [The music strikes up] Opa, opa, opa… ! Ladies and gentlemen,
boys and girls, we present, for your [French pronunciation] de-lect-ation,
[the bell rings]
All: Scene One – The Hunger
of Karaghiozis
KARAGHIOZIS: [He performs]
God helps those who help
themselves. Isn't that true? So I help myself. The only trouble is, every
shopkeeper in town knows me. They see me coming a mile off. And they say
"God help anyone I find helping themselves". Har, har, har…
Very funny. Not.
So what is the state of
affairs? The state of affairs is that I am starving! Starving, I said! How can
I explain… [He spells] S-T-A-R-… Oh, what's the use… The last
time I ate was when they got Lazarus out of his grave, and that wasn't exactly
the day before yesterday…
A proper education, this is. I
have learned how many harticles Hunger is divided into. Up till now I have
learned the five main harticles. The first and main harticle of hunger, the
definite harticle as you might say, is that your belly starts to rumble [FX].
The second is when your teeth start grinding [FX]. Third, your feet start
itching [FX]. Fourth, your eyes start twitching [FX]. And fifth, you say to
yourself, this is a dog's life! "Life", did I say? Ha, ha,
"life"? Just imagine this. Supposing I suddenly died. That's all I'd
need. I'd be a laughing stock! They'd take me to the cemetery and all the
skeletons would start laughing at me. "Ha, ha, look at the state of him
– there's more meat on us than there is on you!"
I… have… decided. I don't want
to die of hunger, so I'm going to kill myself. I'll get a gun, point it right
here, and Blam! I'll blow my brains out. On the other hand, if I had a gun, I
wouldn't do that, would I? I'd sell it to get something to eat… No. Tell you
what, maybe it'd be best if I kill myself first, and then if all goes well I
can always sell the gun later. On the other hand killing yourself's a terrible
way to die. So I've decided to chuck myself down a well and drown [well
appears]. One, two three, down we go, splosh! Trouble is, I took a look
down a well once. There was water in it! Just my luck, I fall down, get sopping
wet, catch my death of cold, and then where would I be??!! Dead! Pneumonia,
laid out like a stiff, brown bread! I'm supposed to be dying by drowning, not
pneumonia! Anyway, the well's hell-of-a-deep, and knowing my luck I'd probably
kill get killed on the way down. Getting killed's a terrible way to go Brrrr!
Imagine, they haul me up out of the well [climbs back up], lay me out on
the floor, and everyone comes looking at me. One of 'em says: "Look at
that, he's lost a leg [does so]… so how's he going to climb into the
field and steal my tomatoes." The other one says: "Oh what a shame,
he's lost one eye [does so]… , now he won't be able to see straight when
he's nicking other people's wallets… " And the other one: "Oh, lost
his fingers too [does so]… , so how's he going to steal watches now…
?"
No, that's not the kind of
death for me. I want to die a sweet death. I have decided I am going to sit
down and eat Baklava till I burst. That should do it! Or maybe I'll eat forty
big fat pink Turkish Delights, and kill myself that way. Phoo, yes, YUMM!!!
Let's go find some [is led off by image of sweeties]!
[He exits]
All: Scene two – Karaghiozis Gets a Job
[Enter Chatziavatis, the Pasha's secretary]
CHATZIAVATIS: [musical
intro – Arabian?] What am I going to do now? My master says I've go
to go out and find him a new
servant. Must be someone who knows how to cook,
and sew, and knit, and polish,
and garden, and… I know. I'll go find Karaghiozis,
he's bound to know where I can
find a servant…
[Karaghiozis comes rushing
out and bangs into Chatziavatis]
CHATZIAVATIS: Whoa, stop! For
heaven's sake, man …
KARAGHIOZIS: Don't nobody
move!
CHATZIAVATIS: What's the
matter, what happened? Why are you running like that?
KARAGHIOZIS: I want to die!
CHATZIAVATIS: Go ahead and
die, then. Nobody's stopping you.
KARAGHIOZIS: Yes they are –
they won't let me die.
CHATZIAVATIS: What d'you mean,
"they" won't let you?
KARAGHIOZIS: In the caff, there.
I decided I was going to die from Turkish Delight. So I took a
box, put it on the floor, said
my prayers, and started eating. I counted them out, so's I'll know how many I
need next time I kill myself. I was just about to swallow number 60 when the
caff owner comes in and starts shouting at me. "What d'you think you're
doing?!" "I'm killing myself." "Killing yourself, you
crafty sod! I'll give you 'killing yourself'! Take that!" And he started
whacking me. Serious whacky-whacky, I'm telling you… And everyone else in the
caff started whacking me as well. They could have killed me! And how could I
have killed myself, then? [Innocently] Why were they trying to
kill me?
CHATZIAVATIS: 'Cos you'd taken
the Turkish Delights without paying for them, idiot!
KARAGHIOZIS: Paying for
them??!! THEY owe ME for the Turkish Delights! I took sixty, and
they beat me for a hundred, so
that means they still owe me forty…
CHATZIAVATIS: Look,
Karaghiozis, you're going to have to pull yourself together, time to make a man of yourself.
KARAGHIOZIS: So what am I now?
CHATZIAVATIS: Come here, and
listen very, very carefully.
KARAGHIOZIS: I'm all ears,
from my head to my toes.
CHATZIAVATIS: Tell me,
Karaghiozis, do you know Ahmed Pasha?
KARAGHIOZIS: Of course I do.
Who is he?
CHATZIAVATIS: My dear
Karaghiozis, Ahmed Pasha is a very upstanding and proper citizen. And
he is looking for a manservant
at this very moment.
KARAGHIOZIS: A manservant?
CHATZIAVATIS: What do you
think about that?
KARAGHIOZIS: What do I think
about that?
CHATZIAVATIS: Can you cook?
KARAGHIOZIS: Yes.
CHATZIAVATIS: And can you do
washing-up?
KARAGHIOZIS: Of course I can
CHATZIAVATIS: And sew?
KARAGHIOZIS: Of course I can.
CHATZIAVATIS: And iron?
KARAGHIOZIS: Of course I can.
CHATZIAVATIS: And can you…
KARAGHIOZIS: Of course I can.
CHATZIAVATIS: Of course you
can what?
KARAGHIOZIS: Of course I can
do what I can, can, can…
CHATZIAVATIS: In that case,
Karaghiozis, I shall introduce you to my master. But how can I
introduce you looking like
that? No shoes on your feet, no hat on your head, and all rags and tatters.
KARAGHIOZIS: No problem. I'll
go get changed.
CHATZIAVATIS: I'll see you
outside the palace in half an hour.
KARAGHIOZIS: And don't go changing
your mind. Don't go finding some other servant. Because
new clothes cost money, you
know… And who's going to pay for them?
[Karaghiozis appears as a
live actor in front of the screen – he is in the Pasha's house – LX change to
reds and greens]
KARAGHIOZIS: Hey, I’m real.
And my voice has changed. Become all “sofistificated”.
Maybe there’s hope for me yet.
The boss has got a pretty fancy place here. I'll have the life of Riley here!
The golden days of my youth! The boss sounds like a bit of a whinger, and he's
pretty strange, but what can a fellow do about that?! Just have to put up with
it. Don't think of him like a boss who's paying you, but a friend who's got his
odd ways. And what about the lady of the house? You should see her! [Princess
appears above to music – little routine]. Imagine, she might even fall in
love with me! She's a right little darling. The day before yesterday she told
me that she loved me! Just imagine if the boss called me in one day.
"Karaghiozis," he says, "I know that you're an honest pickpocket
and a decent crook, and so I've decided, I want to make you my son-in-law.
Here's my daughter, and here's five hundred thousand pounds in cash. Po, po,
po, all that money could give a man indigestion! Five hundred thousand in cash!
[Pasha on screen –
Karaghiozis as actor]
PASHA: Karaghiozis. Do you realise that, from the
day you started working here, you've turned my house into a stables?
KARAGHIOZIS: Since you come
from a family of donkeys, you can hardly blame me for that.
PASHA: Silence, idiot! Come here. I mean, you're
going to have to work! I expect to see some work in my house!
KARAGHIOZIS: But what am I
supposed to do, boss. You're already working me to a frazzle. In
the morning I get up… you tell
me "Pick up your pyjamas". So I pick up my pyjamas. You tell me
"Eat your breakfast." So I eat my breakfast. You tell me "Eat
your lunch." So I eat my lunch. Then it's tea-time. "Drink your
tea." So I drink my tea. Then, in the evening: "Go to bed." So I
go to bed. It's non-stop, boss – eat, drink, eat, drink, sleep, sleep, sleep…
it never stops. A chap's only got one pair of hands, you know. You don't need
one servant, you need half a dozen…
PASHA: Silence. You are a lazy donkey.
KARAGHIOZIS: I am, boss, I am.
PASHA: And what's more you're stupid.
KARAGHIOZIS: I am, sir, I am.
PASHA: But at least you're honest.
KARAGHIOZIS: Oh no. That's one
thing I'm not. Nor was I ever! As regards my honesty, you can
ask every shopkeeper in Athens.
The minute they see me in the market, they're all out there with big sticks in
their hands…
PASHA: And since you are honest…
KARAGHIOZIS: Oh alright, if
you insist.
PASHA: I'm going to let you into some of the secrets
of my house.
KARAGHIOZIS: I'm honoured,
effendi.
PASHA: Now, listen, Karaghiozis. I am seventy-five
years of age.
KARAGHIOZIS: May you live to
the age of Methuselah, effendi.
PASHA: Today I am here, my boy… Tomorrow I may be
gone.
KARAGHIOZIS: That's lucky… So
at least you're alright till the morning…
PASHA: And, my boy, before I go to my final resting
place, there is one thing I must do. I have to find a husband for my beautiful
daughter.
KARAGHIOZIS: {Puffing
himself up] Oh, really, sir, that is too kind of you. I must say, I am
honoured…
PASHA: Not you, you idiot. You're my servant. What
are you?
KARAGHIOZIS: Your servant,
effendi.
PASHA: And don't you forget it. No. I have sent out
word, far and wide, and suitors are coming to visit, seeking my daughter's hand.
And I want you to look after them, Karaghiozis. D'you understand?
KARAGHIOZIS: Yes, effendi. [Exit
the Pasha]. Shame, I rather fancied having his lovely daughter
all to myself [Princess
puppet appears above and calls him].
PRINCESS: Karaghiozis! Oh, my
sweet Karaghiozis!
KARAGHIOZIS: There, she’s
calling me. She’s got the hots for me and no mistake, whatever the
old Pish-Pash Pasha says. I’m
on my way … [re-enters as puppet].. yes, my little tiropitaki, my dainty
little baklava..
PRINCESS: Am I not the
tastiest dish you’ve ever seen, Karaghiozis?
KARAGHIOZIS: Oh yes miss, and
no doubt about it.
PRINCESS: And doesn’t your
little Princess love her Karaghiozi-wozi? Would you like a nibble?
KARAGHIOZIS: Thank you no, not
before lunch, I might ruin my appetite.
PRINCESS: Now don’t be silly
and open wide [she feeds him].
KARAGHIOZIS: Oh, yes, yes, now
that is delicious. What can I do, my lady, what can I do? [She
feeds him again].
PRINCESS: Silly daddy wants to
marry me off. Now wouldn’t that be a shame?
KARAGHIOZIS: Tragic, miss.
Criminal. [Feeds].
PRINCESS: I want you to beat
any suitor so soundly their ears will ring till the end of Ramadan.
Unless, of course, they are
particularly handsome and wealthy.
KARAGHIOZIS: I shall do as you
command, my lady [eats][doorbell rings] Ah, my first suitor [It
is an old man], Oh dear, I don’t
like the look of you. Have you got any money? Well take that then [beats him].
Ooh, my poor arm’s aching. Time for a sit down and a nip of ouzo [doorbell
rings]. Blimey, it’s like Akropodilly Circus around here, can’t a man get a
moment’s peace? [It is an Italian – he sings opera]. Yes, all very
lovely, and I suppose you’d expect us to listen to that warbling all day
echoing around the Palace and you’d want us to like it. Get lost! [beats him
– he harmonises with the rings of his beating].
All: Scene Three – Karaghiozis and the Jew
Yakob [puppet]:
He enters singing. His words have
no meaning. A Spanish-ish Hebrewish mish-mash. All his words are so accented as
to be almost unrecognisable.
Viso de viso vamos
Soravamos parlakes sorovizo
Viso de vamos vghes
Karakizo de vamos vghes
[He goes up and knocks on
the door of the Saray-Palace] Chello, lady, chello… [Yakob pronounces
his "h" with a hard "ch"] Rata tata tata [Pause,
repeats] Rata tata tata… Open the door… It's me, Mr Yakob…
[Enter KARAGHIOZIS puppet
above]
KARAGHIOZIS: Coooming… ! Oh,
it's Mr Yakob!
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… !
[Both appear as actors in
front of the screen]
YAKOB: Rata tata tata… Open the door… It's me, Mr
Yakob…
KARAGHIOZIS: Coooming… ! Oh,
it's Mr Yakob!
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! Ach, your
humble servant… Me, good man… !
KARAGHIOZIS: You look like
you're in love.
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! Ach, I am in love
with your mistress, you understandissimo?
KARAGHIOZIS: Amazissimo!
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! Ach, friend
Karaghiozis, ach, go tell your mistress, I
am here. Me good man! Very
rich. Lots of money. Come here moneybag [Claire hops on in sack]. All
for your mistress! I own half of Greece. Athens, Saloniki, Cyprus,
Panathinaikos, you name it… I chave pots, I chave pans…
KARAGHIOZIS: Fworgh, all
that?!
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! All for your
mistress, if she marry me.
KARAGHIOZIS: Well, well, well,
that's amazing… ! You've got money in all those places… ?
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis, take a golden
sovereign.
KARAGHIOZIS: [Aside]
Hey, now there's a thing! I'll pluck this one like a chicken. I'll fleece his
wallet. [Out loud] Wait
a minute, I'll call my mistress. Madam, madam, Mr Yakob is here. He's Very
Rich, he's got LOTS of money, and LOADS of… buckets and dustpans…
[The PRINCESS puppet
appears above]
PRINCESS: Coming, coming… dear
little Karaghiozis. Have you found me someone handsome, tall, romantic, as
befits a gorgeous princess of my disposition ...
KARAGHIOZIS: Well, he's rich
PRINCESS: Rich, with pots and
pots of money eh? And powerful? And handsome? You clever little chap, I'm on my
way ....
[actor appears below]
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! Ach, good morning,
noble madam. Me love you [Does little dance to his opening song].
PRINCESS: [Taken aback when she sees that it is the
Jew] Oh, ah I see, no I don't think so… Karaghiozis, fetch the
"engagement ring" for the gentleman.
[The PRINCESS runs away,
and KARAGHIOZIS fetches his watering can]
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! [He realises
that KARAGHIOZIS is going to give him a beating, so he says:] Karaghiozis,
ach, good man, your Worship. Ach, I shall give you money. Golden sovereigns.
Here, take one pound.
KARAGHIOZIS: Po, po, po, po…
Not enough. For six whacks on the head, ha-ha, one pound isn't
enough.
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! Ach, I shall give
you two…
KARAGHIOZIS: Po, po, po, po…
You want me to run my business at a loss… ?
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! Ach, I shall give
you three!
Karaghiozos: Friend, I'm afraid
I just can't do it. I've got overheads. Business is not so good
these days …
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! Business, vot
business?
KARAGHIOZIS: Serious business,
here. Look, we're talking about a marriage between my watering
can and your head. And already
you're talking about a divorce. Three quid does NOT buy a divorce!
YAKOB: Ach, friend Karaghiozis… ! So there, take
four. It'sh all I have. Ach, ach, now let me go now?
KARAGHIOZIS: [… ] Let's see
them. [He sighs] What can I do? I'm seriously out of pocket here…
But since you're a friend…
[KARAGHIOZIS takes the
money. The JEW runs away. KARAGHIOZIS exits and re-appears on screen. He turns
to his mistress]
PRINCESS: Did you give him a
good whacking, Karaghiozis?
KARAGHIOZIS: Oh yus, missus.
Proper flogging I gave him. This one, missus, I gave him more of
a whacking than all the others
put together.
PRINCESS: So why didn't I hear
any whacking?
KARAGHIOZIS: 'Cos it was his
wallet that got the whacking, missus, that's why you didn't hear
it… Har, har…
PRINCESS: Come here,
Karaghiozis, I want to tell you something. Dear Karaghiozis… I love you.
KARAGHIOZIS: Oh missus, I've
come over all hot flushes… [music and silly chase sequence to cover costume
changes back in to actors]
So that's Karaghiozis – at
least, that's what we think is Karaghiozis – a puppet – I'm an actor not a
puppet – but you played a puppet – true – and the Greeks love him – Karaghiozis
– he sums up all that is Greek – of course he's better than the Turks – and he
always gets the better of the Jews – which is a problem for us – as actors
playing Jews in Salonica – we didn't feel they'd be too impressed – this is how
we think the discussion might have gone – positions everybody -
DAVID: So this is what you’ve
been running around doing, Aron?
TAMAR: I thought it was bad
enough having a father who ran around doing kids puppet shows, but I didn’t
know they’d be anti-Semitic as well!
ESTHER: Aron, why didn’t you
change it, or miss it out?
ARON: It’s part of the
tradition. It’s one of a number of stories. Karaghiozis gets the better of
everyone.
DAVID: He just got beaten by
the restaurant owner.
TAMAR: And Yakob talks
gibberish. That’s supposed to be us. It’s got to go. You can’t do it any more.
LOUTCHA: I don’t see what’s
wrong with it, Mr Yakob is rather sweet.
ANNA: So why does the princess
reject him then, when he’s filthy rich and a really good catch.
LOUTCHA: What’s wrong with being filthy rich? You make
it sound like it’s a crime.
DAVID: It’s not a crime, it’s
just a misrepresentation; a stereotype that makes people feel justified in
disliking us. How many of us are “filthy rich”?
LOUTCHA: Daddy’s got quite a
lot of money.
JOSEPH: Well, perhaps you’re
the only one. David is a teacher, Moise is out of work, and what do you do?
Work in a clothes shop…
LOUTCHA: It’s quite an
exclusive one.
TAMAR: Yes, but even you’re
not so rich you can afford not to work. Look at Yakob. Gold in one hand and the
other out for more.
ANNA: They’re all just jealous
because we Jews do well for ourselves. They envy us our
books and our money. It’s as
simple as that.
JOSEPH: There are 50-odd
thousand Jews in Salonica. How many do you know who are like that? Moise?
MOISE: Mostly workers, I’d
say. From where I’m sitting, Mr Yakob is just a silly rich man.
ESTHER: But he’s a Jewish one.
You’ve got to see him as the audiences will.
DAVID: Exactly. Anti-Semitism
comes from ignorance, fear and misunderstanding. And your Karaghiozis puppets
are feeding just that. Just look who you’re performing it to, Aron. Tell them.
ARON: They wouldn’t
understand.
DAVID: Tell them.
ARON: Mostly Greek
schoolchildren. I perform in the parks in the early evening, before curfew, and
sometimes in local bars
We weren't sure about this bit
– could he have performed at this time? – a time when so
many Jewish activities were
banned ? – a time of curfew? – but there were Jewish
Karaghiozis performers – that
we do know – Jews who probably felt themselves to be more
Greek than Jew -
ARON: But, recently, I was in
a bar performing when some German Officers walked in – and I just carried on.
They put some money in the hat – and I took it.
DAVID: I bet they howled when
Chmister Chyakov came on.
ARON: What choice did I have? What
if I had stopped? Or walked out? I had the anonymity of my screen to protect
me. They could condemn me to forced labour for any number of trumped up
charges. I ran a printing press, for heaven’s sake; whole issues dedicated to
damning the Nazi cause. We Jews have survived across the centuries because
we’ve been able to keep our heads down and work with whoever has just invaded
us. And that has been our lives, historically speaking. Invasion. One after the
other. Sure. I can make a stand and starve, or get shot, but what good is that?
It’s not going to make the Nazis hate the Jews any less, and I’ll be dead. The
Nazis will come and go, like so many others before them: the Philistines, the
Assyrians, the Egyptians …
DAVID: We only survived those
occupations by resistance, and by dogged non-compliance. Have you read your
history? Jewish history starts with an act of resistance. Moses killed a
policeman. He saw a policeman beating a Jew, and he looked around him, and made
sure nobody was looking, and he killed the policeman, and buried him in the
sand so that nobody would know. That’s what it says in the bible. The Book of
Exodus. So you’ve got a religion in which one of its leading figures is a
partisan.
BERTHA: David, what you say
may be true, but Aron has to live, like the rest of us. I doubt he enjoys
playing with puppets in front of Nazi officers, but they are here, they show no
signs of going away, and we have no option but to co-operate with them.
ESTHER: No, we should object.
The whole point is that they need us. For building work. For medical expertise.
And if we are necessary, then we must have some rights. We should make demands
through the Community Council, which is where you are responsible, Bertha.
JOSEPH: Look , the point in
question is: is Karaghiozis anti-Semitic? I propose we try him here and now.
ARON: That’s not justice,
Joseph. Some revolutionary Kangaroo court.
JOSEPH: What’s going to happen
after the war, father, when the partisans accuse you of collaborating with the
enemy?
TAMAR: Anyway, we’re not
talking about trying you, we’re trying Karaghiozis, who is, in
case you hadn’t noticed. Only a puppet.
JOSEPH: So it’s agreed then?
Trial?
All: Agreed
VOICES: Alright – so we're going to put an essential
figure of modern Greek culture on trial – in
England – with us not being
Greeks – or Jews – well, except … – an unusual judicial procedure
-
but in the interests of theatrical exploration we hope
you'll bear with us – [Moise] I’ll be
Karaghiozis – right – so a
fair trial then – yes – not being Greek or Jewish (Except Em) – we are
in a far better position to
achieve the right degree of objectivity – can we begin? I can feel my
character engagement waning –
right – judge? – I’ll do that – so will I – and me – OK –
positions please – begin …
KARAGHIOZIS: Opa, opa, opa…
Kalispera sas, Most excellent Ladies and Gentlemen, the title of tonight's
little show is
All: Trial of Karaghiozis
:
ESTHER: Prisoner Karaghiozis,
what is your name?
KARAGHIOZIS: Karaghiozis, Effendi-mou
ESTHER: : I mean what's your
name. Your full name!
KARAGHIOZIS: Moussaka
Dellagrazia Olympiakos Panathinaikos Karaghiozis Karaghiozopoulos Imam Bayldi.
At your service! Sir! Effendim! [He stands to attention and salutes]
YOUDA: Is that all?
KARAGHIOZIS: No, your
Excellency, I have a few more names as well, but I usually leave them at home
'cos they're a bit heavy on the pocket.
ANNA: Date of birth?
KARAGHIOZIS: Ah, I was born on
a day when the sun shone, your Honour, and some little kid was sitting next to
a wall with nothing better to do with his time…
BERTHA: Parents?
KARAGHIOZIS: My mother was the
bottom half of a cardboard box, and my father was a pair of scissors and a
couple of bits of string.
VINA: Country of provenance?
KARAGHIOZIS: Eh?
DAVID: Where were you born?
KARAGHIOZIS: In a bed.
DAVID: No, I mean, where were
you born? Where was this bed?
KARAGHIOZIS: In the downstairs
front room next to the woodstove. [Extend patter]
JOSEPH: Karaghiozis, I have
here a string of…
KARAGHIOZIS: Sausages?!!!
JOSEPH: … A string of charges
as long as my arm.
VINA: Theft
LOUTCHA: Fraud
ESTHER: Cowardice in the face
of the enemy.
ANNA: Vulgar language.
ROSA: Excessive violence
against your fellow citizens…
AVI: But today we are
concerned to hear only one. Namely an act of clear anti-Semitic
intent.
ARON: Karaghiozis, you have
been accused, that on behalf of your master the Ahmed Pasha, pasha of
Ali-Fazoum, you did take Chachamikos, otherwise known as Yakob, a Jew of Salonica,
and did administer him grievous bodily harm by means of your watering can. How
do you plead?
KARAGHIOZIS: I plead for the
sausages, your Honours. Three or four, nicely grilled, with a side
portion of chopped liver and
garlic…
ROSA: Does the prisoner plead guilty or not guilty?
The court is losing its patience.
KARAGHIOZIS: Not guilty, your
Effendi-ships.
[He breaks down crying]
LOUTCHA: Silence! I will have no crying in this court!
Karaghiozis, you are crying for your guiltiness?
KARAGHIOZIS: No, for the
sausages… Waaaah!
HANA: As evidence of this grievous charge, we would
point out to the Court that Chachamikos the Jew is figured as having a
particularly large and hooked nose. Some people might say that this was
offensive.
ARON: However, Karaghiozis, in
your defence you say that many of the characters in your Karaghiozis
theatre have big noses.
SOL: You yourself, as I note,
have a hooter of some notable proportions.
YOUDA: And the court takes
note of that you yourself have been afflicted with a hump back.
KARAGHIOZIS: It’s true. I
suffer the most dreadful afflictions. I’m a real mess. It’s not my fault. It’s
all due to an underprivileged childhood.
TAMAR: Be that as it may,
Karaghiozis, is it, or is it not, true that the figure of the Jew – the
Salonica Jew – in your theatrical representation is the ONLY one of the shadow
puppet characters which ALSO has its head articulated?
ANNA: And is it not the case that
this (apparently minor technical detail) is only done so that the Jew can bow
and scrape and wheedle in a servile manner before his masters?
KARAGHIOZIS: Well, yes, but I
didn’t make him, your Honourablenesses, I just get his gold. You can’t pick on me.
I’m just a two-dimensional artefact fashioned to suit the prejudices of the
day. I only obey orders. And orders is orders, yes, Sir. Even my lines are
already written for me. It’s a miserable life being a puppet, I can tell you.
Take pity on me, your High-handednesses.
AVI: Then who, prisoner
Karaghiozis, is to blame for the offensive stereotype we have just witnessed?
JOSEPH: If not you, then who?
TAMAR: The Turks?
HANA: The Greeks?
SOL: Everyone?
DAVID: No-one?
KARAGHIOZIS: I blame them all.
I only beat that nice Mr Yakob because they want me to. It’s a simple case of
supply and demand. I’m fulfilling a consumer need .. It’s them, they’re the
guilty ones …
Helena: Hush up! I sentence you to one million years
in prison.
KARAGHIOZIS: But your Honour!
Helena: Hush up! And that'll be another one million
years for answering back to the Judge!
KARAGHIOZIS: [He bursts
into tears]
VOICES: in the end we decided that Karaghiozis should
be let off – everyone testifies that he's a nice chap at heart – and he did
help save some Jews during the War – and anyway he's only doing what the
scripts tell him to do – if we have to find fault anywhere – the fault has to
be found with the Greeks – after all – as they never tire of telling us –
Karaghiozis represents the true heart and soul of the Greeks – but since we
couldn’t really lock all the Greeks up – and it’s not like we didn’t boot the
Jews out in the 13th Century – or make them the killers of Christ in
the Mystery plays – and then there is The Merchant of Venice – and The Jew of
Malta – ah, yes, The Jew of Malta – so anyway, you’re free to go
All: [They cheer for
Karaghiozis] Hooray! Hooray! Hooray for Karaghiozis! The Heart and Soul of
the Greeks
KARAGHIOZIS: THANK YOU! Thank you,
ladies and gentlemen. And now I would like to dance a dance for you. A proper
Greek dance. A kalamationos. Avanti, Maestro… Opa, opa opa! Ya sas! Ya sas! [The
music plays and they all dance] And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the end
of "The Trial of Karaghiozis".
The Call to The Square
The troupe break out, chatting
and congratulating themselves on their improvisation, when there is a knock on
the door. All freeze.
VINA: Who’s that?
ANNA: Is anyone missing?
DAVID: No, we’re all here.
All look around, nervous and
afraid.
ESTHER: We’re not doing
anything wrong are we? Just meeting like this?
David prepares to answer the
door. He returns, ashen. He whispers to Youda
ANNA: What, David? Who was it?
BERTHA: Who was at the door?
DAVID: A friend who knew we
were here. To warn us. The Germans are organising something and it just may not
be good that we’re here.
David and Youda move off to
talk to the other men. The women confer.
ESTHER: What does he mean,
organising?
TAMAR: Who knew we were here?
SOL: What’s going on
LOUTCHA: What’s happening? I
don’t understand. Warn us about what?
Bertha; David. Youda. Please.
Tell us what is going on.
ANNA: Tell us. We have to
know.
DAVID: It’s eleven O’clock.
The Germans have instructed all Jewish males between the ages of 18 and 45 to
assemble in Freedom Square by noon today.
ANNA: Well you’re not going.
Not a man-jack of you is leaving this warehouse.
YOUDA: Anyone not there will
simply be shot, Anna.
ANNA: They can’t shoot us all.
There are thousands of us. They can’t shoot us all.
BERTHA: Anna, let’s be calm.
We must stay calm.
VINA: What do they want? Why
are they doing this? Are you sure about this David?
ESTHER: Who told you? Who was
at the door?
VINA: It’s a hoax. A cruel
joke.
DAVID: A very reliable source.
We have been called to Freedom Square within the hour.
AVI: It’s right down by the
docks. If we’re going to go we must go now.
[Joseph and Moise are in
earnest conversation.]
ARON: If you go, I am coming
with you.
YOUDA: No, Aron, the women
need you here.
JOSEPH: Moise and I agree with
Anna. It’s time to make a stand. 50, 000 of us. Against how many Germans? A few
hundred.
YOUDA: A few hundred backed by
sub-machine guns and with the Luftwaffe right behind.
BERTHA: Even if you were to
beat them locally, they’d re-invade, Joseph. Be sensible. I’ve thought all this
through, I’ve discussed it with the Jewish Council …
JOSEPH: No. If we win through,
we can join the partisans in mountains. They may have to re-invade. Then they
won’t be invading somewhere else. By doing nothing, we are winning the war for
them.
ESTHER: You’ll end up getting
killed. For nothing. We’ve lost too many men. You must go.
AVI: You know what they’re
like. Always registering. Filling in forms. More details. It’ll just be more of
the same. We must go now, or we’ll be late.
BERTHA: I have worked with
them. They need us. There’s no advantage to them in harming us.
David and Youda make to go.
Avi starts to join them.
ANNA: You’re not leaving!
SOL: I hate the Germans!
ESTHER: Anna, let them go!
Hana is clutching Bertha and
begins to cry.
ANNA: Why are we so weak?
Moise walks stoically past her
and prepares to leave. Joseph is defeated. He looks at Aron.
Aron nods. Joseph also begins
to leave. The women watch them go.
VOICES: we think that’s what might have happened – no
way of knowing – no – no way of
really knowing – but the men
were summoned – and it wasn’t good – 9,000 arrived in the heat
of the day – the Germans made them
march – and run – do sit ups – and press ups – for two
hours – until they dropped –
if they flagged they were beaten – over a hundred fell unconscious
- and three died – and we
wondered what they could have done – was there anything they could
-have done – and we think the women might have
been wondering the same thing – the women
might have wondered – is there
any other way for a Jew to be? – why could they, as women, do
nothing? – and they would have
remembered Judith – told the story of Judith – to keep their
spirits up – to remind
themselves of what they could have been -
JUDITH AND HOLOFERNES
Nebuchadnezzar, King of the
Assyrians was mighty in war. He called to him his general Holofernes, and told
him to go out to all the nations and demand their submission to him. If they
did not submit to the rule of Nebuchadnezzar, they were to be destroyed.
"I shall go forth in my
anger against them, and I shall cover the whole face of the earth with the feet
of my armies, and I shall set my armies loose on them. And their dead shall
fill their valleys and brooks, and the river shall be filled with their dead
until it overflow, and I shall lead them captive to the utmost parts of the
earth."
So Holofernes went out, with a
huge army of men. He sowed destruction in Lebanon and the plain of Damascus,
and people everywhere were in fear and terror of the Assyrians.
And Holofernes came towards
Judaea, where lived the children of Israel. And the children of Israel were
very afraid. And they were scared for Jerusalem, and for the temple of their
God.
And they began to organise.
They took in food and blocked the mountain passes. And the Israelites prayed to
their God, and made vows, and offered burnt offerings.
And Holofernes determined to
attack the Israelites. So Holofernes and his army set out, and people said:
"they have well defended positions. Starve them out. Block their supplies
of water”. And so he did.
And after thirty four days all
the supplies of water ran out. All the cisterns were emptied. Their young
children were out of heart, and the women and young men fainted from thirst,
and they fell down in the streets of the city, and there was no longer any
strength in them."
Now, there was a woman, called
Judith, which means Jewess, and she had been a widow for three years. She heard
the elders of the city promise to surrender in five days unless God helped
them. She called the elders to her house. She told them “God is not as man,
that he should be threatened; neither as the son of man, that he should be
turned by entreaty".
She explained that God had his
ways, and the Israelites should accept whatever God decided for them. At this
point the elders agreed that she was right. But they asked her help:
And Judith spoke with mysterious
words. She said:
"Listen to me. I am going
to do a thing which shall echo down through all the generations of our children
to come. You must open the city gates tonight. the Lord will do what must be
done for the Israelites, by my hand. But you must not ask what I am going to
do, because I shall not tell you until I have finished what I have to do."
And the elders agreed to do as
she said.
Then Judith went and put ashes
upon her head and uncovered the sackcloth in which she was clothed, and she
prayed to her God.
The Assyrians, she said, are
multiplied in their power. They are exalted with horse and rider. They have
gloried in the strength of their footmen. They have trusted in shield and spear
and bow and sling. But they do not know that it is God that decides the force
of battles.
"Look down upon the
Assyrians in their pride," she said. "And send thy wrath upon their
heads. Give into my hands, who am a widow, the power for which I am asking.
Break down their stateliness by the hand of a woman."
And Judith anointed herself
with rich ointment. And braided the hair of her head. And put her chains about
her, and her bracelets, and her rings, and her earrings, and all her ornaments,
and she decked herself bravely, to beguile the eyes of all men that should see
her. And all were amazed by her beauty. And she commanded the young men to open
the gates, and she went straight on through the valley until they came to the
armed guards of the Assyrians.
She said, “I have come to tell
your general, Holofernes, a secret way through which he could take the
hill-tops without losing a single man”.
And they took her to
Holofernes. Whose heart was stung by her beauty. Such that he promises her no harm.
And Judith promises him a mighty victory over the Israelites. “And thou shalt
drive them as sheep that have no shepherd.”
Judith stayed for three days
in the camp of the Assyrians Then, on the fourth day Holofernes invited Judith
to join him in a feast. Because he desired her.
"And Judith came in and
sat down, and Holofernes' heart was ravished with her, and his soul was moved,
and he desired exceedingly her company." He offered her food and wine, and
she ate and drank.
"And Holofernes took
great delight in her, and drank exceedingly much wine, more than he had drunk
at any time in one day since he was born."
When evening came, the
servants were sent to their beds. And Judith was left alone in the tent. And
Holofernes was lying on his bed, for he was overcome with the strength of the
wine.
And she drew near to the rail
of the bed, which was at Holofernes' head, and took down his sword from there,
and she drew near unto the bed and she took hold of his head, and said:
"Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, this day."
And she struck the sword
across his neck two times with all her might, and she cut his head from off his
body, and tumbled his body down from his bed. She took the canopy from off the
bed and wrapped his head in it. And she put Holofernes' head in among the bag
of food that they carried.
And went out of the camp, past
the guards, to pray, as she had been accustomed to do in the preceding days.
And she passed straight on, down through the valley, until she came to the
mountains that lead up to their city. And as she approached the city gates, she
called from afar to the soldiers guarding the gates:
"Open, open now the
gates… ”
And she showed the people the
severed head of Holofernes and there was much rejoicing. And she tells them to
hang the head of Holofernes over the city's battlements. And to mass their
forces, as if they are preparing to go to battle.
And the Assyrians heard their
preparations and rushed to Holofernes' tent. . And they found him dead and
beheaded. And the Assyrians were routed. And the Israelites "fell on their
flank with a great slaughter".
And all the women of Israel
ran together to see Judith. And they blessed her and made a dance among them
for her. And she went before all the people in the dance, leading all the
women. Who followed her with garlands and with songs in their mouths. And she
was honoured by all her people.
Women hold image of power.
Aron takes the Holofernes mask as the men walk slowly to the front and begin
exercising. He counts. The women gradually realise their symbol is gone and
turn to see what is happening to the men. They chant.
Salonica – City of mighty
arches
Salonica – majestic port
Salonica – jewel of the Aegean
Salonica – treasure of the
Ottomans
Focus of invasion
Of Bulgars, Crusaders, Turks
We have seen them all
For more than twenty centuries
We have seen them all
We have traded, bargained,
dealt
In cloth, carpets, jewels
We ran the docks
We ran the railways
We ran the mines
We ran the schools
We clothed an empire
We fought in the army as
Greeks
VOICE: Letter from the
Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church: To Alois Brunner, Gestapo
representative in Salonica. We, the undersigned, wish to object in the
strongest terms to the treatment currently being meted out by you, the
occupying force, to the Jewish population of our city. May we remind you that,
although an occupying force, a significant degree of co-operation is required
so that you do not exhaust your meagre resources controlling the civilian
population. Should you, therefore, continue with your acknowledged plans to
deport said Jews to the ghetto of Crete or, worse still, to the concentration
camps of Poland, rest assured that all co-operation will be withdrawn and that
an uprising of the general population will ensue, orchestrated by the Greek
Orthodox Church. We will not tolerate such unchristian activity in our land.
VOICE: Letter from Alois
Brunner: Dear Archbishop. Having considered your letter, and having consulted
with Gestapo headquarters in Berlin, it has been decided that the Jewish males
will sent to aid the war effort in the Macedonian mountains. The cost of their
return will be 2.5 bn Drachmas.
Vina takes the head of
Holofernes and delivers the following whilst punishing Avi.
VINA: Stop. Not you. You keep
going. You have gold, Jew. Where is your gold? How much do you have? You will
tell me. Only then will this stop. You do want this to stop, don’t you? And you
will tell me who else has money? We can share it when the war is over. Where is
your gold… ?
ARON: [holding the puppet
of the Jew]. His head is bowed, cringing before his masters. In his hand he
holds a bag of gold. His other hand reaches for more. But what if he did not
lie down? Would not bow his head? Where is the spirit of Judith now? If he
could raise that other hand to the heavens and bring down God’s vengeance upon
them. Why must the Jew be cringing? Why must he cower? [to puppet] Come,
my little Jew, would they take all your money? And how will you and your
countrymen answer them?
VOICES: Judith could not help these Jews – lost in
someone else’s country – shunted from pillar to post – no weapons to their name
– throughout Europe there he is – head bobbing – clutching his gold – can’t
just blame Karaghiozis – or the Greeks – or the Turks – as represented in
England – yes, in The Jew of Malta – by Christopher Marlowe – he wrote a play
with a Jew in it – and he had gold – but he also had pride – and power – we
thought we’d give him a try using our Karaghiozis puppets – to see if it helped
– to see if it helped –
Segue into Jew of Malta
sequence with nightmare shadow puppets.
ARON: Now this is a real Jew! A Jew of vengeance
VOICES: Be careful what you call up here, old man – there
are only two ways to be in this world – the victim or the bully
ARON: What of the cry for
Justice? Must we who choose not to kneel to our God, must we bend and scrape to
everyone else’s?
VOICES: If you awaken vengeance, you will see the Jew
armed and ready to kill
ARON: No. See how they
dispossess him! And see how he fights back …
ARON: The Prince's Palace. Enter Barabas three Jews
of the city.
Prince (John): Hebrews, now
come near. From the Emperor of Turkey is arrived great Selim
Calymath, his highness's son,
to take from us ten years' tribute past. And you should know that we are
concerned…
Barabas (Kate): Then, good my
lord, to keep your peace of mind, your lordship shall do well to
let them have it.
PRINCE: Soft, Barabas! There's more to it than that.
For the amount of tribute demanded, we
have put in what we can. But
it is not enough, because of the wars that have emptied our exchequer. And
therefore are we to request your aid.
BARABBAS: Alas, my lord, we are no soldiers! And what's
our aid against so great a prince?
Officer (Alex S): Tush, Jew,
we know thou art no soldier. Thou art a merchant and a money'd
man. And 'tis thy money,
Barabas, that we seek.
BARABBAS: How, my lord! my money!
PRINCE: Yours, and of your fellow Jews.
Three Jews (Han, Bea &
Hel): Alas, my lord, the most of us are poor!
PRINCE: Then let the rich ones increase your share.
BARABBAS: We are foreigners in your country. Are
foreigners with your tribute to be taxed?
OFFICER: As foreigners you had leave to make your
wealth. So let you with us contribute.
BARABBAS: How? Equally?
PRINCE: No, Jew, like infidels; for through our
sufferance of your hateful lives, who stand
accursed in the sight of
heaven, these taxes and afflictions are befallen. And therefore thus we are
determined. Read them the articles of our decrees.
OFFICER: [He reads] First, the tribute-money of the Turks shall
all be levied amongst the Jews, and each of them to pay one half of his estate.
BARABBAS: How! Half his estate? [Aside] I hope
you mean not mine.
PRINCE: Read on.
OFFICER: [He reads]
Secondly, he that denies to pay, shall straight become a Christian.
BARABBAS: How! A Christian! [Aside] Hum – what's
here to do?
OFFICER: [He reads] Lastly,
he that denies this, shall, absolutely, lose all that he has.
Three Jews: O my lord, we will
give half!
BARABBAS: O earth-metalled villains, and no Hebrews
born! And will you basely thus submit yourselves to leave all your goods in
their possession?
PRINCE: Why, Barabas! Wilt thou be christened?
BARABBAS: No, Prince, I will be no convertite.
PRINCE: Then pay thy half.
BARABBAS: Do you know what you are doing by this
device? Half my substance is a city's wealth. Governor, it was not got so
easily. Nor will I part so easily therewithal.
PRINCE: Sir, half is the penalty of our decree.
Either pay that or we will seize on all.
BARABBAS: Nay, by the… Stay, you shall have half. Let
me be us'd but as my brothers are.
PRINCE: No, Jew, thou hast denied the articles, and
now it cannot be recalled. Officers, go.
[The Officer and the Three
Jews "exit", as above]
BARABBAS: Will you then steal my goods? Is theft the
ground of your religion?
PRINCE: No, Jew. We take particularly thine, to prevent
the ruin of a multitude. Better that one man should want for a common good than
the many perish for a private man.
BARABBAS: Well, then, my lord, say, are you satisfied?
You have my goods, my money and my wealth, my ships, my store, and all that I
enjoyed. And, having all, you can request no more, unless your unrelenting
flinty hearts suppress all pity in your stony breasts, and now shall move you
to take my very life.
PRINCE: No, Barabas. To stain our hands with blood is
far from us and our profession. Come, let us in and gather from these goods the
money for this tribute of the Turks.
[Barabas is left alone on
stage – gradually, the cast join him in his curse – they are all holding their
suitcases]
BARABBAS: Why, the plagues of Egypt, and the curse of
heaven, Earth's barrenness and all men's hatred inflict upon them, thou great
Prime Mover! And here upon my knees, striking the earth, I ban their souls to
everlasting pains, and extreme tortures of the fiery deep, that thus have dealt
with me in my distress.
Ach, the simplicity of these
base slaves, who think me a senseless lump of clay that will with every water
wash to dirt! Ha! No, Barabas is born to better chance, and framed of finer
mould than the common man. A reaching thought will search his deepest wits, and
will cast with cunning, and will wait, will wait for the time to come…
ARON: There! There's my Jew! And so the curtain
comes down…
Deportation Sequence:
The cast gather as if at the
station. We hear station sounds. Distorted “German” station voices. They wait
in stillness. All wear the yellow star.
Moise
clunks in breathlessly, lugging an enormous trunk. He is lit by a follow-spot –
quite clearly in a different theatrical reality. The cast are still, but not
lifeless, and are only lit by his light as he moves around.
MOISE:
Wait for me! Wait for me! Thank God I've found you. I’m not late am I? I mean
you haven’t gone? You’re still here, are you? Thank Heavens – I thought you’d
have gone. You know how the Germans are with their trains and their timetables.
I was convinced I’d missed it. You see, I woke up this morning, well, no, I
didn't wake up this morning, that was the problem, I was having this amazing
dream about honey, a big river of honey, all honey it was, the colour of pure
gold, and I was on my suitcase, floating on this big river that was taking me
all the way to paradise, all the way to Krakovia, and then I woke up and saw
the time and I didn't have time to lace my boots, which is just as well ‘cos I
haven’t got any laces, so that was a lucky escape, ‘cos what would I have done
if I’d had time to lace my boots but no laces, I’d have had to borrow some, but
you’d all have been gone unless you were dreaming about big rivers of honey as
well, so I got my suitcases and I ran and I ran and I had to push my way
through so hard and I couldn't see you and I thought I'd missed the train…
you’re travelling a bit light aren’t you? Only going for a short stay? I’m
going for good. Off to Krakovia. Oh yes. Two suitcases. One for all that
Krakovian money I bought and one for a change of Undies. Got to get your
priorities right, skids and moolah, in that order. Oh, and a few snacks, of
course. Bit of Turkish Delight. Bit of Baklava. Fancy a nibble? Here, you’re travelling
a bit light…
ARON:
[slowly] What on earth have you got in there?
SOL:
I could fit in that.
BERTHA:
They won't let you take it. They said essentials only.
HANA:
They said kitchen utensils. Especially kitchen utensils. [She opens her case
and proudly displays her collection of pots and pans.]
BERTHA:
Where is your family, Sol?
SOL:
I slipped away. I’d rather be with the troupe.
DAVID: They’ll be so worried
ANNA:
So wherever we're going, at least we know we'll be cooking.
LOUTCHA:
I'm sorry. I don't do cooking.
HANA: So what have you got with you then?
Loutcha
displays a collection of silky underwear
LOUTCHA:
Oh, just the essentials.
ESTHER:
[pointedly] They'll definitely have those off you. [Loutcha responds
with a poisonous look.]
BERTHA:
They'll search our bags, you know.
[People
hold their luggage to them.in a slightly guilty way]
BERTHA:
[Realising they have got things they shouldn't have] You haven't? What
have you got there? [looks at particularly guilty looking people in turn]
VINA:
Two words… Mobile… library.
DAVID:
I… I… it's only a smallish candlestick.
JOSEPH:
[Looking at Aron] And I suppose you've got a box full of puppets. Think
you're gonna dance for the Germans again, do you?
SOL:
I thought there weren't going to be any Germans. I thought Krakovia was the
Jewish Free State.
BERTHA:
[soothing] It is, Sol, it is.
TAMAR:
They just want us out of the way.
JOSEPH:
You think it's that simple? I don't think this freedom exists.
VINA:
Don't say that. You can't say that.
JOSEPH:
I think they'll make us work. Churning out something. Uniforms. Bullets.
Something.
YOUDA:
Well, they'll have to feed us to keep us going. And a good hard slog never hurt
anyone… I'm sorry.
VOICE:
Willkommen, Juden von Salonika. Von hier aus faehrt der Zug nach Krakovia ab. [David
translates amid general confusion].All Gepaeck soll auf den Bahnsteig
gelassen werden. Lassen Sie das Gepaeck. Es folgt nachher. Es folgt nachher.
They
place their luggage in a line and step forward, leaving it behind.
VOICE:
Frauen zu rechts, Maenner zu links [translate]. Frauen zu rechts,
Maenner zu links. Kinder bis auf sieben Jahre alt duerfen mit ihrer muetter
bleiben [translate].
SOL:
But I want to go with David and Moise.
BERTHA:
Shush now. Be strong.
ANNA:
But why? Why separate us?
VOICE:
Dieser Massnahme ist auf Grund der Gesundheit genommen. [translate].
Steigen Sie ein.
There
is a brief exchange of looks and touches. They move slowly.. It is then as if
they
are squashed into the carriages facing front.
ANNA:
Where are the seats? I thought there'd be seats.
VINA:
Don't push so hard.
They
slowly realise they are hot and cannot breathe easily. There are cracks at
Chest
and eye level, which they bend or stretch to get fresh air.
LOUTCHA:
I don't think I can breathe.
YOUDA:
The money. All my Krakovian money. It’s in the suitcase…
DAVID:
[in the other carriage] I can hear Loutcha.
SOL:
David! Did you hear that – it's David! Oh no!
BERTHA:
What Sol?
SOL:
David’s got my money. My Krakow money. David, you’ve still got my money!
VOICE:
Zug bereit loszufahren.
Some
people call out to their various relations or friends. Saying “see you in
Krakovia”
etc.
DAVID:
We’re leaving. Sol, climb up. I’ll pass it to you.
SOL:
Help me up there. Help me up.
AVI:
What are you doing? You’ll see her when you get there.
DAVID:
I know, but just in case.
JOSEPH:
Just in case what?
DAVID:
Just in case.
The
women lift Sol up. They turn to face each other. She reaches across to take the
money
and holds David's hand.
SOL:
Don't let go. Don't let go.
TAMAR:
We're going.
The
train jolts. They lose contact. They turn to face front again. Sol comes down.
The
train starts up and the two groups are swaying with its movement, scared.
?:
[to whoever is closest to the slat gaps] what can you see? Tell us what
you can see.
?:
I can't see anything.
ANNA:
Our cases. They’re just sitting there on the platform
ESTHER:
Must be another train.
VOICES: Can't breathe … Where are the seats? … Won't
be for long – then fresh air-it's a long way though isn't it … This train will
only take us so far … Very dark…
…Cattle
truck … Don't push – room for all of us Listen – you can hear them – I want to
see them – Don't let go… soon we'll be in a better place… or free ..say goodbye
to Salonica… can you see the platform… I can't see anything
They
begin to hum the song "Panathema". Then they sing it. One by one,
they take off their
hats
and coats and deliver the line: "I’m … . I’m an actor, not a Jew".
One or two
offer
a brief explanatory word about the song
VOICES: No-one knows who wrote this little ditty – it
became very popular in 1943 in Salonica – the Greek kids would sing it to tease
the Jewish ones – Greeks are no better than anyone else – some objected to the
treatment of the Jews – some privately rejoiced at it –some helped to save Jews
from the camps – some danced and sang this little song – and now – who knows
the rich Jewish history of this city? – the guidebooks to Salonica won’t tell
you – the Germans destroyed 60 synagogues and ripped up the gravestones of the
Jewish cemetery – where two thousand years of Jewish culture had been, there is
now just a yawning void – there’s one memorial
Anna
is left.
ANNA:
I’m just an actor…
She
exits. All we see is the line of cases.
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