Seven Beggars, The (1997)

Production

A workshop production of The Seven Beggars. Co-sponsored by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Consulate of Israel in New York. Performed in Hebrew. This production is an interpretation by contemporary Israeli artists of a traditional tale. ;"Victor Attar acts all the roles in a series of parables that develop the idea of the seven virtues of the Jewish people. Attar plays the beggars absurdly, appearing in a wearable sculpture with many pockets. Out of the pockets come facial parts -- eye, ear, mouth, etc. -- which Attar uses puppet-style to playfully characterize each beggar according to his handicap. 
To better fulfill language's role in this unique form of storytelling, Attar will perform the work in Hebrew (the previous two incarnations were in English). "The piece was written in a classical language," says Attar, "now we'll try to do what we couldn't do before in a strange (English) language." A string score by Israeli composer Tamar Muskal gives each beggar his own musical motif. At center-stage is a conceptual art stone by set designer Igal Ozery. As the story deepens, so does the mixture of colored sands with which Attar will encircle the stage floor to establish context for each part of the fable."

program;press release
June 26 – 29, 1997
Hebrew
PROD.1997.0038

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