Victoria theatre cancels divisive play set in Israel

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The Belfry Theatre in Victoria, B.C., announced on Tuesday that it was dropping a play from its March festival schedule “given the current conflict in the Middle East.”

The theatre company made the decision to remove The Runner, “a play which may further tensions among our community,” after receiving pushback on its subject matter.

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The one-man play focuses on the moral dilemma faced by a volunteer of ZAKA, an Israeli group of mostly Orthodox Jewish men who provide emergency medical rescues.

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The character “grapples with the political and moral fallout after saving a Palestinian woman’s life — and leaving a fatally wounded Israeli soldier behind,” Belfry wrote in a description of the play on its website.

In an interview with Tarragon Theatre in 2020, Canadian playwright Christopher Morris said the play was written to show “what happens to people when they’re pushed to their absolute max.”

A successful petition to remove the play from the Belfry’s spring showcase has generated 1,278 signatures. The petition calls the play “a story of Israeli settlers in a dehumanizing exercise of whether Palestinian and Arab life is of value.”

The petition also calls for a cultural boycott of Israel.

A counter petition to keep the play, garnering 2,190 signatures, says: “Its call to recognize the humanity of all peoples in the face of conflicting narratives of righteousness is one that art can explore with nuance.”

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That petition says the Belfry has never before cancelled a play in 46-year history.

The theatre has been the scene of protests and vandalism in recent weeks. Stickers and graffiti reading “Free Palestine” were left by protestors on the front steps.

The Belfry held public consultations to discuss whether the the theatre should put on the play. According to Canadian Jewish News, the meeting included both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel attendees.

Pro-Palestinian protestors left the meeting after saying their concerns were not being addressed, a witness said.

In their statement announcing the decision to pull The Runner, the Belfry wrote: “This has not been an easy decision, and we are grateful to our community for sharing various perspectives which added to our understanding.”

“We believe that presenting The Runner at this particular time does not ensure the well-being of all segments of our community,” the theatre also wrote.

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