Nemashim Arab-Jewish Theater Community

 

 

Second meeting of the sixth Nemashim workshop- 2007-2008

 

 

Location: Again, Ness Amim in spite of the acoustics.

The people who came: Jonathan, Tali, Yoni, Biki, Danna, Miar. New members: Gal, Shani, Yuval and Mona.

 

 

 

Friday.

Meaning of a name

Meaning of tradition in my life

In the concluding conversation most of the discussion for some reason was neither about neither religion nor tradition, but about the holocaust. This proves the thesis that the memory of the holocaust is indeed the religion of the secular Israel. Mona also brought up the Palestinian “problem” as a taboo in the Israeli society.

 

Dinner

At some point it started raining. For some reason, it always does during our workshops. The building in which we work is a sort of a church with a very high ceiling, that isn’t waterproof, apparently. There is a certain spot that always turns into a puddle when it rains. As always, we took part in the traditional welcoming of the Shabbat dinner of this Christian village. Some enjoy it more, some enjoy it less…

 

Monologues according to the last meeting’s exercise

The first time was an attempt of self-writing. The members performed short passages that they have written themselves. There were definitely some very interesting things.

Dana from Hadera performed a young lady that was handling the conflict with much caution as a Palestinian Israeli with the helplessness confronting the oppressive occupation of her people right in the other side of the wall. Yoni performed a guy whose sister was murdered by the police four years previously and whose case was only investigated now. Tali played a housekeeper whose Bedouin past chases her and turns her to a murderer.

The new members preformed monologues from plays, for example Yuval who did a monologue from “Outside in front of door”.

Some found out already at night that there is no hot water in the boys’ shower. Some only found out in the morning.

 

Saturday

Breakfast

Pantomime

As always: pantomime class followed by an exercise in pairs. Some great things were created there, such as Mona and Shani’s (two of the new girls) exercise, with a police officer and a prison and an escape (see video). This included all of the elements of pantomime.

 

Lunch

Forum Theater

We divided the group to three small groups, each group had to decided what to do. One of the groups was of three girls and they were debating between abused women and Ethiopian girls from Petah Tikva (which was eventually chosen). Another group was debating between poverty and conflicts in a family as a result of inter-religion love (which was eventually chosen). The last group chose a conflict between a couple where an Arab woman lies to her partner by telling him she is Jewish.

Two video clips were created: “Apartheid in Petah Tikva” and “The Faking”

 

Conclusion and evaluation

Grading:

Tradition, culture and religion 2.9

Monologues 3.3

Forum Theater 3.8

Pantomime 3.5

Dinner 2.6 (I don’t understand this; I think the food is just fine!)

Orally they said:

Jonathan thanked that this time there were two more guys.

Tali asked to go back to the monologues we did the first time. She asked to have summary and additional information about the subjects that were taught. In addition she asked to see us, Shadi and Uri on stage. (In fact this time Uri did take part of the Forum theater, you can see this in one of the two videos.)

Gal pointed out the lack of vegetarian food. He also said: “I felt like a beginner because I did not grow up in the theater department.”

Yuval said that sometimes there is a feeling that criticism from the other members is a result of vanity that is not in place.

Mona said that everyone is nice. The monologue did go very well and that’s too bad. She also said: “I love you.”

 Dana: “I want to live with you.”

Biki said she enjoyed it very much in spite the many fears before her monologue.

Miar said it was too bad he didn’t perform the monologue he had prepared.

Uri and Shadi also concluded and at the end gave homework for next time.

When we got out Ness Amim it was already completely dark outside.

 

More pictures here.

 

 

 

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