Seven Jewish Children — a play for Gaza

Seven Jewish Children — a play for Gaza Caryl Churchill (bio) No children appear in the play. The speakers are adults, the parents and if you like other relations of the children. The lines can be shared out in any way you like among those characters. The characters are different in each small scene as the time and child are different. They may be played by any number of actors. 1 Tell her it’s a game Tell her it’s serious But don’t frighten her Don’t tell her they’ll kill her Tell her it’s important to be quiet Tell her she’ll have cake if she’s good Tell her to curl up as if she’s in bed But not to sing. Tell her not to come out Tell her not to come out even if she hears shouting Don’t frighten her Tell her not to come out even if she hears nothing for a long time Tell her we’ll come and find her Tell her we’ll be here all the time. Tell her something about the men Tell her they’re bad in the game Tell her it’s a story Tell her they’ll go away [End Page 66] Tell her it’s a story Tell her they’ll go away Tell her she can make them go away if she keeps still By magic But not to sing. 2 Tell her this is a photograph of her grandmother, her uncles and me Tell her her uncles died Don’t tell her they were killed Tell her they were killed Don’t frighten her. Tell her her grandmother was clever Don’t tell her what they did Tell her she was brave Tell her she taught me how to make cakes Don’t tell her what they did Tell her something Tell her more when she’s older. Tell her there were people who hated Jews Don’t tell her Tell her it’s over now Tell her there are still people who hate Jews Tell her there are people who love Jews Don’t tell her to think Jews or not Jews Tell her more when she’s older Tell her how many when she’s older Tell her it was before she was born and she’s not in danger Don’t tell her there’s any question of danger. Tell her we love her Tell her dead or alive her family all love her Tell her her grandmother would be proud of her. [End Page 67] 3 Don’t tell her we’re going for ever Tell her she can write to her friends, tell her her friends can maybe come and visit Tell her it’s sunny there Tell her we’re going home Tell her it’s the land God gave us Don’t tell her religion Tell her her great great great great lots of greats grandad lived there Don’t tell her he was driven out Tell her, of course tell her, tell her everyone was driven out and the country is waiting for us to come home Don’t tell her she doesn’t belong here Tell her of course she likes it here but she’ll like it there even more. Tell her it’s an adventure Tell her no one will tease her Tell her she’ll have new friends Tell her she can take her toys Don’t tell her she can take all her toys Tell her she’s a special girl Tell her about Jerusalem. 4 Don’t tell her who they are Tell her something Tell her they’re Bedouin, they travel about Tell her about camels in the desert and dates Tell her they live in tents Tell her this wasn’t their home Don’t tell her home, not home, tell her they’re going away Don’t tell her they don’t like her Tell her to be careful. Don’t tell her who used to live in this house No but don’t tell her her great great grandfather used to live in this house No but don’t tell her Arabs...

Art · Art history · Judaism · Literature · MAGIC (telescope) · Nothing · History · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies · Jewish Identity and Society · Philosophy

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