Crossing Jerusalem & Other Plays

Julia Pascal

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781840023619
• eBook ISBN: 9781849438827
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

Includes the plays Crossing Jerusalem, The Golem, Year Zero and St Joan Crossing Jerusalem describes 24 hours in the life of an Israeli family in March 2002, as they cross Jerusalem at the beginning of the latest intifada. Over this 24 hours, personal and political history burst into the present. A complex family drama explodes in the most politically tense city in the world. The Golem is inspired by the medieval Yiddish legend. This story, set in Prague, explores what happens when a monster is contructed to defend his community. This version is written for children. Year Zero is a bitter-sweet satire inspired by interviews conducted in the north of France, where Communists, Gaulists, collaborators and those who were children during the 1940s, provided the original source of material. The play exposes the day to day experiences of the men and women who suffered or profited from those zero years. Joan of Arc has, over five centuries, proved an irresistible and enduring icon for an extremely diverse group of people both within and without France. St Joan is a satire based on a Jewish Black Londoner who dreams she is the legendary Catholic Saint.

Crossing Jerusalem was first performed at the Tricycle, London on 13 March 2003, with the following cast:

VARDA KAUFMANN-GOLDSTEIN, Suzanne Bertish

SERGUEI GOLDSTEIN, Constantine Gregory

GIDEON KAUFMANN, Adam Levy

LIORA (LEE) KAUFMANN, Miranda Pleasence

YAEL KAUFMANN, Galit Hershkovitz

YUSUF KHALLIL, Nabil Elouahabi

SHARIF KHALLIL, Daniel Ben-Zenou

SAMMY, Jack Raymond

Director, Jack Gold

Assistant Director, Richard Beecham

Designer, Pamela Howard

Lighting Designer, Matthew Eagland

Sound Designer, Crispin Covell

Assistant to Designer, Ada Gadomski

A second production was produced at The Park Theatre, London in August 2015, with the following cast:

VARDA KAURFMANN-GOLDSTEIN, Trudy Weiss

SERGUEI GOLDSTEIN, Chris Spyrides

GIDEON KAUFMANN, David Ricardo-Pearce

LIORA (LEE) KAUFMANN, Louisa Clein

YAEL KAUFMANN, Adi Lerer

YUSUF KHALIL, Waleed Elgadi

SHARIF KHALIL, Alistair Toovey

SAMMY, Andy Lucas

Director, Julia Pascal

Designer, Claire Lyth

Lighting Designer, Ben Cowens

Sound Designer, Zoe Blackford

Prologue

Spot on SHARIF.

Sound of tanks, gunfire.

SHARIF: (Shouting over the noise.) Hey over there. Get out those bastards over there Remi. Throw like a man Remi. They can’t see you. Throw fast, I said fast Remi! Go for it man. You’re a kid they can’t see you, don’t be scared.

Throw!

Yes!!! You got one!! Right in the face. You are terrific Remi. And over there, look there are more of the bastards coming. How many can you hit?

Hey look out. The guy over there. On the roof. He’s looking right at you. He’s aiming right at you. Hey Remi, run man, run.

Blackout.

Act One

SCENE 1
A BEDROOM IN A JERUSALEM FLAT
08:15 HOURS

Sound of children playing in the street and cars honking their horns. YAEL and GIDEON are eating a breakfast of bread, olives and cheese in bed.

YAEL: How long do we have?

GIDEON: (Looks at his watch.) Eight. Tomorrow at eight.

YAEL: So soon.

GIDEON: Twenty-four hours.

YAEL: Oh it’s so short.

GIDEON: You know how it is. Why do you always ask?

YAEL: Longing. Longing to have you for longer.

GIDEON: It’s a big day.

YAEL: What?

GIDEON: Today.

YAEL: It’s depressing.

GIDEON: Why?

YAEL: The end of youth.

GIDEON: Any more olives?

YAEL: (Puts some olives from her plate on to his. Beat.) Could we?

GIDEON: What?

YAEL: You know.

GIDEON: What?

YAEL: Another.

GIDEON: What?

YAEL: You know. (Points down to her feet.)

GIDEON: (Ignoring this.) Chance of more coffee?

(YAEL kisses him.)

YAEL: You taste of toothpaste. (He kisses her.) Everywhere. Touch me everywhere.

GIDEON: Oh you’re so demanding and I’m dying of lack of coffee here! (GIDEON takes her feet and kisses them.)

YAEL: Mmm. (Beat.) I know. (Beat.) Your hands.

GIDEON: What with my hands?

YAEL: You could rub my feet. Obligation. (She is pushing her foot into his hands. He rubs it half-heartedly.)

GIDEON: What?

YAEL: To make love on the sabbath.

GIDEON: Obligation?

YAEL: Blessing from God.

GIDEON: Who’s God?

YAEL: And the other foot?

GIDEON: Oh. (He doesn’t rub it.)

YAEL: You don’t like?

GIDEON: And the coffee?

YAEL: How long do we have?

GIDEON: All of today, all of tonight.

YAEL: I want a week.

GIDEON: You know the situation.

YAEL: Where are you going?

GIDEON: Uh oh.

YAEL: I am your wife.

GIDEON: That’s why you can’t know.

YAEL: And if something happens?

GIDEON: Nothing will happen. Why are you acting this way?

YAEL: Worry.

GIDEON: Stop.

YAEL: (Stretching.) The day is ours. And the night.

GIDEON: The day is with my mother. For your birthday.

YAEL: Oh God. Your mother. I forgot.

GIDEON: And Lee may be coming too. I’ve not seen her in weeks.

YAEL: Anyone else?

GIDEON: You want a party?

YAEL: It’s ancient. Thirty.

GIDEON: (Dryly.) Yes.

YAEL: It’s ancient for a woman having children. How old was your mother when she had you and Lee?

GIDEON: I don’t know, how she found the time. She preferred making deals.

YAEL: Does Lee want kids?

GIDEON: How do I know?

YAEL: She always makes me feel like an outsider.

GIDEON: That’s crazy.

YAEL: Is that Mi...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half-Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Crossing Jerusalem
• The Golem
• Year Zero
• St Joan