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[TeachEnglish]

"ENTERTAINING... IRREVERENT...THOUGHT-PROVOKING... WITTY... WELL WORTH CHECKING OUT...(Time Out Istanbul April 2006)

'The Rich Young Man', a play by the 'Action Station' company is running every weekend at 8.30 through April at the Maya theatre in Istiklal Cadessi (opposite the Atlas Cinema).

This stage adaptation by Michael Dickinson of his novel 'The Lost Testament of Judas Iscariot' deconstructs the Easter Story - the betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection of the Prophet Jesus. Closely following events described in the New Testament Gospels, but with many a surprise twist, the play convincingly challenges the foundation of the Christian Church.



This review of the play appeared in the Turkish Daily News -

Fishers of men on stage at Istanbul's Maya Theater


Jesus and Judas� attempts to spread the good news go awry in this English-language play written and directed by Michael Dickinson

ELSPETH METZLER

ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News


Few figures have been subjected to as many wildly differing interpretations as has Jesus Christ: Jesus as peace loving hippie, Jesus as financially savvy capitalist, Jesus as original feminist, Jesus as husband and father -- modern-day pop culture iconography exhaustively represents the famed carpenter from Galilee.

Michael Dickinson, a veteran provocateur known for his controversial collages of eminent religious and political figures, presents Istanbul audiences with another version of the anointed one: Jesus as heartfelt charlatan, as duped about his own identity and origin as his followers are about his divine capabilities.

Dickinson, now in his mid-50s, had a Catholic upbringing but became disillusioned with Christianity in his late teens. Upon re-reading the Bible at a later age, however, he saw that �Jesus was a good guy.� �He doesn't need the miracles. I decided to remove them to see if the plot could stand miracle-free,� he said. What did he come up with? An entirely different Judas and a new role for Darius, the hero of the play. �This is a detective story of what might have occurred.�

"The Rich Young Man," a stage production of Dickinson's novel "The Lost Testament of Judas Iscariot," published in 1994, features the familiar New Testament characters: the long-suffering Mother Mary (with a previously unknown penchant for Roman soldiers), industrious Martha, bickering disciples and devoted Mary Magdalene, though much sassier and sensuous than you may remember her from Sunday school.

Dickinson, however, recasts the three pivotal characters, Jesus, Darius and Judas, in a completely unique light in this play that, in the modest words of the promotional flyer, �changed the world.�

While seeking to share his message of peace, love and freedom with mankind, Jesus has won a small following, but struggles to differentiate himself from the many other would-be messiahs that proclaim themselves to the masses every day. �Jesus wanted to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth -- not a pie in the sky idea. He tried to make earth a better place,� says Dickinson.

In this version of events, Judas, presumably out of his love for Jesus, seeks to elevate his master in the eyes of the local population through elaborately staged �miracles.� We learn that Judas gave Lazarus a potion to make him appear dead as he waited in his tomb for Christ to �resurrect� him; the infamous apostle blackmailed �blind� Bartimaeus to proclaim Christ healed him of an ocular affliction he never had in the first place. Judas schemes and organizes; Jesus reluctantly complies for the sake of attracting more listeners, yet chafes at the primarily miracle-seeking crowd his reputation now draws. �Miracles attract the wrong sort,� he bemoans.

As Jesus and company prepare to depart from Bethany for a triumphant Passover feast in Jerusalem (in spite of practical advice otherwise from the headstrong Mary Magdalene), a persistent stranger demands an audience with Jesus. The newcomer is Darius, the rich young man for whom Jesus had predicted it would be harder to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. Darius exclaims that he has renounced his wealth and incurred the wrath of his family to follow Jesus, who welcomes him into the group as they set off.

The Jerusalem visit turns into a disappointment for the disciples as they make do with chicken rather than lamb and face mockery from city residents, for whom messiahs seem to be a dime a dozen.

�As we were coming through the gates shouting our hosannas, this trader came up and asked what was going on. I told him the Messiah had come. �What, another one?' he exclaims. �That's the fifth we've seen today! May the best man win!'� James recounts to the group. John echoes disillusionment, �We're just another Passover distraction, and Jerusalem is full of them.�

This time it is Jesus rather than Judas who devises a grand scheme to turn up the heat on his message and boost his notoriety, both for the sake of his message and to hearten the disciples. Judas must betray Jesus to the Pharisees, thereby thrusting him into the spotlight as a candidate for the traditional Passover amnesty. Jesus, more confident than realistic, is certain the crowds will choose him, elevating him to the notoriety that he and his followers seek. Judas complies, but his troubled conscience compels him to confide first in Darius, leading to a tragic case of mistaken identity, with repercussions felt far beyond the small group in the olive grove.

Keeping up with the twists, turns and revelations requires unflagging attention from the audience. While the novice actors have to work hard in this dialogue-rich production, they succeed by and large in presenting the human side of the characters they portray -- particularly the pure-hearted Peter, exasperated John and scheming Judas.

The most convincing aspect of the production may be the physical appearance of Jesus and Darius. Jesus as played by Argus Adakarasi perfectly embodies Western preconceptions. The sparkling light eyes and firmly set jaw bespeak vision. This Jesus has just enough of a tan to convince us he spends time praying in the desert, yet his trimmed beard and flowing straw colored hair point to a leader moved by the innocence of little children and lost lambs. In his long white robe the overall image borders on campy.

While Jesus is prone to getting swept away with events, Darius, played by Eren Alperen, emanates steady peace and resolve. His arching brow frames pained eyes as the henchmen lead him away. Dark thick hair and beard set off his drawn features. If Darius tilted his head just so, it wouldn't be surprising to see his image flatten into an Orthodox icon of muted gold, or perhaps morph full-bodied onto a Catholic cross with downcast gaze and bleeding abdomen. How fitting for the ultimate sacrifice Dickinson's rich young man makes for his lord. ------

"The Rich Young Man" will perform every weekend until 23rd in April at the Maya Theater on İstiklal Street at 8:30 p.m.

Be there, or burn in Hell!

[Golightly]

who is michael *beep*? why such a mysterious surname? Is he The One Who Must Not Be Named by Dave's Amazingly Sensitive Taboo Word Device Thingy?
Hmmm.....suggestions for the bloke's surname on to this board....please use appropriate methods to get round censorship...

[Henry_Cowell]

It's actually Michael D*ckinson, with the missing letter being i.

Shouldn't the Word Device Thingy have written it as "*beep*inson"??

[Golightly]

ah, *beep* in son. that'd explain it.

[Henry_Cowell]

Yes, Dave's clever Word Thingy does not like incest.

[Baba Alex]

[molly farquharson]

mary probably worked there and Isa was probably one of her students

[Golightly]

[dmb]

Oh oh, Yaramaz is going to start telling her Jesus jokes again.

[yaramaz]

Hey, did I tell ya the one about the gummi jesus?

[justme]

Mmmmmm....gummi jesus... Sacrilicious...

[yaramaz]

heehee.
Sacrilicious....mmmm... kinda like the Smartie Jesus...

That actually made me giggle on a morning not known for it's giggles so far (agh! Modals of deduction! Agh! Students with lighters! Agh! )

[justme]

Smartie Jesus! Will wonders never cease? What an age we're living in!!!

I should admit that I stole 'sacrilicious' from the Simpson's.

Which doesn't make it any less funny.

I'm just not that clever...

[Baba Alex]

[yaramaz]

Oooo beer for iftar... sacrilicious...