SHURA: The mission of identifying life

A Documentary play

Reservist and playwright Roee Joseph spent sixty days in Shura military base, somewhere in the center of the country. For sixty days, he partook in one of the most complex tasks known to the human mind – identifying victims of a massacre.

For long hours, Roee and the other soldiers recruited for the mission looked for any identifying marks that would facilitate recognition of the dead, and allow burial. On his breaks, Roee took out his computer, and began writing. He wrote what he saw, heard, experienced: thoughts, moments that had unfolded before his eyes, an exact transcription of what was said around him, and spontaneous interviews with the ones who were there.

Shura is a deep, poetic, honest and sometimes funny observation about hardship. Shura understands that in order to bury something you need to know what it is. Shura is a brave and exposed attempt to allow us all to understand what was there, and, perhaps, to put it to proper rest.

*Translated into German

Summery

Credits

Israel Festival co. Tmuna theater

Written and Directed by: Roee Joseph // Assistant Director and Producer: Mor Hasan // Set Design: Zohar Shoef // Elements Design: Ariel Tal Arbiv // Costume Design: Danielle Kaplan // Sound Design: Nir Jacob Younessi // Lighting Design: Yair Segal // Dramaturgy: Itai Doron // Artistic Accompaniment: Dr. Erez Maayan Shalev // Writing Support: Jason Danino Holt // Movement Accompaniment: Nava Zuckerman // Choir Instructor: Idit Eshel // Photographer: Efrat Mazor

Actors: Shachar Netz, Morad Hassan, Eyal Nachmias, Naomi Oren, Uri Dov Joseph Blufarb, Dorit Dora Shalev, Ilan Zacharov, Yuval Kenin Nachmias, Roee Joseph

Reviews

"The Theater Must Also Join the War," Lior Galatziano, Haaretz, Gallery Supplement, 28/10/2024

"'Shura' employs the tools of documentary theater to give meaning to the harrowing experience Yosef underwent as a reservist identifying body parts at the Shura camp. It is a work whose power lies in its thoughtful use of theatrical means of expression that would not be as effective in other art forms."

"The Never-Ending Line" Maya Polack, Makor Rishon, 11/10/2024

"One of the remarkable aspects of the play is the blend of the harsh reality it depicts with comedic moments, such as meal breaks or celebrations for a soldier's wedding. There are also tender moments, like a soldier passing by with a cart, quietly singing Leah Goldberg's 'White Days' to himself. Gradually, the audience comes to realize that even this place, as challenging as it may be, is also a workplace, with its own unique camaraderie, just like any other."

"'Shura': How Do You Tell This Story?" Hadar Avrabanal, Martha Knows, 07/10/2024

"'Shura' utilizes the tools of documentary theater to bring meaning to the harrowing experience Yosef endured as a reservist tasked with identifying body parts at the Shura camp. Its strength lies in its thoughtful use of theatrical means of expression that would not succeed in other art forms."

A Radio article by Maya Keren, GLZ