A haunting rendition of ‘Kol Nidrei’, performed via audio system, accompanies the viewers as they settle into the studio earlier than the beginning of 12:37. Traditionally recited within the synagogue earlier than each night service on Yom Kippur, it’s accompanied by cello and strings, and the melancholy therein fixes the spectators into the core of this narrative; that of Jewish id. It additionally heralds the significance of music all through each this transferring manufacturing and the Jewish religion extra typically. The play begins in Dublin with Paul (Alex Cartuson), a Jewish Irishman in his mid-twenties, dancing with the attractive Eileen (Lisa O’Connor)…
Rating
Stunningly carried out and cleverly created, 12:37 makes an attempt to lift nuanced and controversial questions round Jewish violence and nationwide id. Deliberately uncomfortable, it attracts us right into a cross-continent wrestle for recognition and security.
A haunting rendition of ‘Kol Nidrei’, performed via audio system, accompanies the viewers as they settle into the studio earlier than the beginning of 12:37. Traditionally recited within the synagogue earlier than each night service on Yom Kippur, it’s accompanied by cello and strings, and the melancholy therein fixes the spectators into the core of this narrative; that of Jewish id. It additionally heralds the significance of music all through each this transferring manufacturing and the Jewish religion extra typically.
The play begins in Dublin with Paul (Alex Cartuson), a Jewish Irishman in his mid-twenties, dancing with the attractive Eileen (Lisa O’Connor) who’s disparagingly referred to by his brother as a shiksa; a non-Jew. He desires to marry her, however his mom (Ruth Lass) received’t let him. Not solely is she not Jewish, they’re about to maneuver to the east finish of London, crippled as they’re by money owed following his father’s demise. And so the efficiency continues as Paul and his brother Cecil (Eoin O’Dubhghaill) take the spectator from 1935 to 1947, a timeframe that encompasses the horror of the Holocaust, via to the wrestle in opposition to British Imperialism to type a Jewish nation state. They journey from London to Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In doing so, their battle in opposition to antisemitism finally erupts into an act of terrorism, with horrific penalties for all concerned.
This is a vital and complicated play that makes an attempt to lift nuanced and controversial questions round Jewish violence and nationwide id. It is intentionally uncomfortable as we watch Cecil, Paul and Rina (a Lithuanian activist, herself a sufferer of sexual violence in the course of the Holocaust, additionally performed by O’Connor) battle British occupation and on a regular basis antisemitism. Their personal multi nation journey displays the Jewish diaspora and on the fruits of the piece, the inevitably flawed act of terrorism destroys but extra Jews, inflicting Paul and Rina immense anguish. The household dynamic they painting reinforces the person on the coronary heart of all violence.
The play’s attain is huge and it has been written particularly for a small solid who every undertake a variety of roles. They are all past exemplary of their portrayal of their characters. Most scenes are accompanied by one of many characters singing pizmonim in an achingly transferring approach, the vocal work is phenomenal. Scenery is easy however efficient. Newspaper-style headlines are held up by every character initially of a scene to disclose the 12 months and place, creating their very own black and white snapshot of historical past.
My concern is that the totality of the bottom lined is simply too huge, while readability will not be helped by having actors play a couple of character, regardless of their performing prowess. My personal information of the extent or element of Jewish exclusion, deportation, and antisemitism is insufficient and because of this I missed key factors in the course of the narrative. And that’s a possibility missed. Every level that’s made harks again to a Jewish id, embedded in centuries of deportation, exclusion or annihilation. They are balls of string ready to be unpicked with limitless potentialities of thought. But then the plot strikes swiftly on to the subsequent horror and now we have misplaced time for reflection.
There is little question that that is elegant and intelligent writing, however maybe if much less plot had been lined, the ensuing caesura would allow some actual reflection. Nonetheless 12:37 is a stunningly acted and cleverly created piece of theatre.
Written and directed by Julia Pascal
Set and Costume Design by: Liberty Monroe
Lighting Design by: Jon Stacey
Sound Design by: Flick Isaac-Chilton
Produced by: Pascal Theatre Company in affiliation with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre
12:37 performs at Finborough Theatre till 21 December. Further data and bookings might be discovered right here.