Job's Passion
Encyclopedia
Job's Passion is a play by Israel
i playwright Hanoch Levin
, based on the biblical story of Job
, combined with elements of Christ's Passion
.
The play was first staged in April 1981 at The Cameri Theater
in Israel, under the direction of Levin himself and starring Yosef Carmon
as Job. The first production was criticized since it included a scene of the naked Job cruicified through his anus by Roman centurions and left thus for the remainder of the play. Miriam Glazer-Ta'asa
, Israel's Deputy Minister of Education and Culture at the time, claimed before the Knesset
that the state should not fund theater where, "a naked man is hanging for twenty minutes with his genitals flailing about." Regardless of this criticism, Carmon was awarded the "David's Violin" Prize for his portrayal of Job.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i playwright Hanoch Levin
Hanoch Levin
Hanoch Levin , was a prominent Israeli dramatist. He was also a theater director, an author and a poet, but he is best known for his plays.- Early life :...
, based on the biblical story of Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
, combined with elements of Christ's Passion
Passion (Christianity)
The Passion is the Christian theological term used for the events and suffering – physical, spiritual, and mental – of Jesus in the hours before and including his trial and execution by crucifixion...
.
The play was first staged in April 1981 at The Cameri Theater
Cameri Theater
The Cameri Theater , established in 1944 in Tel Aviv, is one of the leading theaters in Israel, and is housed at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center....
in Israel, under the direction of Levin himself and starring Yosef Carmon
Yosef Carmon
Yosef Carmon is an Israeli actor and theater director. Born in Poland in 1933, he arrived in Palestine in 1946. He studied acting in London, and participated in numerous Israeli films and plays; Carmon has been an actor at the Cameri Theater for over 50 years, participating in 40 plays, of them 17...
as Job. The first production was criticized since it included a scene of the naked Job cruicified through his anus by Roman centurions and left thus for the remainder of the play. Miriam Glazer-Ta'asa
Miriam Glazer-Ta'asa
Miriam Glazer-Ta'asa is an Israeli former politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Likud between 1981 and 1988, and as Deputy Minister of Education and Culture from 1981 until 1984.-Biography:...
, Israel's Deputy Minister of Education and Culture at the time, claimed before the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
that the state should not fund theater where, "a naked man is hanging for twenty minutes with his genitals flailing about." Regardless of this criticism, Carmon was awarded the "David's Violin" Prize for his portrayal of Job.
Structure
The play is made up of seven Acts and an epilogue. within each section events are often repeated in cycles of three, thus Job is visited by three groups of beggars, three messengers of poverty, three messengers of death, and finally three friends.- Act I – The Beggars
- Act II – The Messengers of Poverty
- Act III – The Executors
- Act IV – The Messengers of Death
- Act V – The Friends
- Act VI – The Soldiers
- Act VII – The Entertainers
- Act VIII – The Dead
Productions
The play has been translated into English, French, German and Swedish.- 1981 - Cameri Theater (Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel) - directed by Hanoch Levin - 2006 - Theater for the New CityTheater for the New CityTheater for the New City, founded in 1971 and known familiarly as "TNC", is one of New York City's leading Off-Off-Broadway theaters, known for radical political plays and community commitment. Productions at TNC have won 43 Obie Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama...
(New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) - translated by S. K. Azoulay; directed by David Paul Willinger - 2011 - The Jewish Theater (StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden) - directed by Philip Zandén
External links
- Job and Jesus Combine to Overcome - New York Times Review of the 2006 production of the play at Theater for the New CityTheater for the New CityTheater for the New City, founded in 1971 and known familiarly as "TNC", is one of New York City's leading Off-Off-Broadway theaters, known for radical political plays and community commitment. Productions at TNC have won 43 Obie Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama...
.