Author Topic: Biblical Stories  (Read 5617 times)

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Offline Iain Fisher

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Re: Biblical Stories
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2010, 06:17:25 PM »
I saw it yesterday, well worth seeing.  More soon.

Offline Iain Fisher

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Biblical Tales
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2010, 11:59:59 AM »
The play, now renamed Biblical Tales, has its world premiere at the New End Theatre.  The performances run from 3 Aug 2010.

Offline Iain Fisher

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Re: Biblical Stories
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2010, 11:41:32 PM »
I just saw it.  A reading with eight actors.  Steven was in the audience and talked after.

It was announced as four 15 minute short plays, but in fact Adam & Eve was 35 minutes, David & Goliath 10 minutes, Samson & Delilah 25 minutes and Moses & Pharaoh 20 minutes.  All were two handers apart from Adam and Eve which has a third character playing the snake.

It is work in progress, and the actors, who were highly professional and good, had, according to Steven, two hours rehearsal.  The performance took place on a Sunday because the actors all had other commitments.

Adam & Eve was the most developed.  Eve emerges with a scream from behind a sheet, created from Adam's rib.  The two immediately argue, she is looking for the night life, Adam says he is the night life.  Some clever lines "you are a typical woman/ How can I be a typical woman if there is only one of me" (I'm quoting from memory).  The piece really comes alive when Eve talks of the snake between Adam's legs, and shortly after the snake appears.  The actor played from a chair, but his movements, slow and devious, were sublime.  And when the snake speaks it is in sibilant hisses.

David & Goliath was the least developed.  David has to be persuaded to fight Goliath, and there is a gay sub-theme with gay jokes ("iron hoof" and "left of centre") which get the laughs but aren't particularly deep or memorable.

Samson and Delilah is one I liked the most.  It reminded me a lot of Oscar Wilde's Salome, and the actress spoke the lines slowly and beautifully, again reminding me of Berkoff's version of Salome.  This was the only story with a twist, the reason Salome betrays Delilah.  Very effective.

Moses & Pharaoh covers the seven plagues.

This is a work in progress.  Steven needs to decide whether to play it for laughs (most of the pieces) or go for the darker side (Samson & Delilah) which could become another classic.

In the (short) discussion after Steven said the plays were about trust, and breaking trust.  He also said it was a reaction to Caryl Churchill's play Seven Jewish Children (he didn't name the playwright or play but it was obvious).

Steven himself was in a good mood, giving lots of praise to all the actors (they deserved it with their performances).
« Last Edit: May 23, 2010, 11:43:44 PM by Iain Fisher »

Offline Iain Fisher

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Re: Biblical Stories
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2010, 04:32:15 PM »
Just a reminder, it is on tonight.

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Biblical Stories
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2010, 09:49:13 PM »
Biblical Stories, a world premiere reading of new short plays by Steve Berkoff. The stories are Adam & Eve, Samson & Delilah, David & Goliath and Moses & Pharaoh are all re-imagined with a 21st century interpretation.

It is at the New End Theatre, London on 23 May 2010.  Details are here:
www.iainfisher.com/berkoff/berkoff-news.html
« Last Edit: May 14, 2010, 09:49:45 PM by Iain Fisher »