Two
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Description
Synopsis:
Two is a play about good and evil; not whether good will triumph or evil prevail but, rather, about the concept of both forming a single, inseparable entity.
In 1948 in a German town, Anna comes to Rabbi Chaim Levi for Hebrew lessons. But she is not the person whom she purports to be.
In a tense drama, leavened with a little humour, and through the agency of chess, music and an exploration of the Hebrew language, the layers are peeled back, as the pair are forced to confront the most profound of moral dilemmas.
Character Breakdown:
RABBI CHAIM LEVI. 60s
ANNA 30s
Production History:
Premiere 1983. Perth. The Hole In The Wall Theatre.
Other Productions
1984. Sydney. Marian St. Theatre.
- Adelaide. The Stage Co.
- Melbourne. Universal Theatre.
- London. Offstage Theatre.
- Chicago. Northlight Theatre Co.
- Wellington, N.Z. Circa Theatre.
- St. Louis. City Players.
- San Francisco. Life On The Water.
- Toronto. Leah Posluns Theatre.
- Connecticut. Stanford Theatre Works.
- Melbourne. Universal Theatre. Liquid Ambar Th. Co.
- Tel Aviv. Tall Poppies Theatre Co.
- Bydgoszcz, Poland. Teatr Polski.
2024. Lodz, Poland. Jaracz Theatre.
Publication 1985. Currency Press.
- Dramatic Publishing. USA.
- Methuen. USA. Contemporary Australian Plays.
Translation 1994. Polish.
Awards 1984. Best Stage Play. Australian Writers’ Guild.
Reviews:
“.. a powerful play of ideas.. beautifully wrought.. rich, complex and intelligent.. stimulating.. warmly recommended..”
Leonard Radic, The Age
“.. absorbing.. disturbing.. maintains its grip until long after the final bow.. It is the sheer force and depth of Ron Elisha’s writing that make this play such an unforgettable experience..”
Pat Rush, The Stage (London)
“.. compelling and civilising.. provocative.. fiercely literate..”
Jack Tinker, Daily Mail (London)
“.. intellectual stamina and nerve in equal parts.. scholarly.. full of dry, melancholy Jewish humour.. a piece to be honoured..”
Edward Pierce, Daily Telegraph (London)
“.. a vital addition to the literature of the Holocaust..:
The Independent (London)
“.. here is a play that blows out its physical confines.. intriguing.. extraordinary..”
Claire Armitstead, Hampstead and Highgate Express (London)
“.. one of the best plays written in Australia in recent years.. an extraordinarily powerful piece of theatre.. complex.. beautifully wrought.. I recommend it most strongly.”
John Moses, The Australian
“.. top marks.. invigoriating, witty, loaded with menace and thrills.. great power..”
Frank Harris, Daily Telegraph
“.. intensely dramatic.. shows great courage and understanding.. an extremely clever play as well as a profound instruction.. fast and dense.. rewards are plentiful..”
John Larkin, Sunday Press
“.. magnificent play.. Move over Arthur Miller.”
Lesley Anderson, Sunday Times (Perth)
“.. an emotional tour de force..”
Clark Forbes, The Herald
“.. stirring.. marvellous to watch.. genuinely breathtaking..”
KWMU, St Louis
“.. a marvellous, unprecedented achievement of magnificence and excellence.. I am in awe..”
International Theatre League
“.. a strange and wonderful little voyage.. solid, intellectually provoking fare.. broadening the human perspectives of its audience without ever stooping to preach..”
John Coulbourn, The Toronto Sun
“.. potent theatre.. often humourous.. feels like a good thriller..”
Mira Friedlander, The Toronto Star
“.. powerful drama.. an excellent, thought-provoking production.. an important and unforgettable experience.”
Ellie Jones, West County Times (San Francisco)
“.. a powerful play.. a riveting exploration of what it means to believe.. leaves the audience with provocative questions long after the curtain has closed.”
Mia Laurence, Stage Week (San Francisco)
“.. always compelling.. unforgettable.. thought-provoking.. poignant.. well worth your time.”
Paul Freeman, Bulletin (San Francisco)
Running-time: 100 minutes.
This play exists only in hard copy, the most up-to-date version being available through The Dramatic Publishing Company in the U.S.
