Preview | April 28 2010:
Presented by The Ocean of Sugar Theatre Company, Tel-Aviv, Israel and Directed by LEE GILAT, the play features acclaimed actors Pini Mittelman, Roy Horovitz and Omer Etzion.
"When a flamboyant German homosexual is put to work repairing watches with an elderly Jew in Sachenhausen Concentration camp it’s surely a recipe for old hatreds and prejudices to come to the fore. Soon enough however the two men find themselves relying on one another for information, hatred of the situation they are in, their mutual love of Opera and distain for the brutal Kapo attendant who bullies and torments them. It’s a truly heart warming tale, which manages to steer clear of the traditional facets of tales related to Concentration Camps: the doom. Gloom and depression aren’t spelled out, and instead are shown through the men’s unwillingness to discuss what goes on outside the workroom. There is also a fair bit of humour injected into the story without ever making light of the situation.
Ultimately it’s a brilliant slice of human endeavour and survival, with brilliant acting on the parts of all three of the cast. The part of Kapo is naturally marginalised by his lack of stage-time, yet the part is subtly played with an undercurrent of fear, need and uncertainty as each man knows their time is limited to their usefulness to the Nazis and to what they can get out of each other.
The two leads pull off an amazing feat: whilst neither is ever cloying or pathetic, they each dredge the very depths of feeling and favour from the audience by simply being true to the parts and utterly believable to the point of unbearable heartache. A marvellous play and a credit to the festival.” Graeme Strachan, British Theatre Guide. Irish Theatre Magazine said “Very strong performances …Not only a good night’s entertainment, but a great one”
Tickets €15 (Concession €13) are available from the Festival Box Office, Film Base, Curved Street, Temple Bar. Tel: 01 677 8511 or online.
