Holocaust Remembrance Day: on stage, with a story that speaks of courage and love

The play speaks about love and courage; the theme is dialogue between religions, multiculturalism and integration. “Shabbes Goy” will be performed on Saturday 26 January, at the Apollonio Theatre, in Piazza Repubblica, to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day, on 27 January. The play, which was presented this morning, Tuesday 15 January, by the actress and director Silvia Priori, of the theatre company, Teatro Blu, is being sponsored by the town council, with the collaboration of the Association “Un’altra storia” (Another Story, ed.) and of the Varese branch of the national association of Italian partisans, A.N.P.I.

“It’s a great pleasure for us to sponsor this initiative,” town councillor Enrico Angelini said. “The play deals with important themes, and seeks to pull down the walls of fear of what is different, and of prejudice. These themes affect us in our daily lives. It’s a play of great importance.”

Another promoter of the play is Filippo De Sanctis, the director of the Apollonio Theatre. “For a number of years, we’ve put on plays to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day. I think this is an important time for reflection.”

As Silvia Priori explained, the play stems from a study of “The Invisible Wall”, by Harry Bernstein, and speaks about tolerance and love. The theme of the play is dialogue between religions, in particular, Judaism and Catholicism, explained through the experiences of the characters. Moreover, the actors on stage will be accompanied by the virtuoso soloists of the Orient Express Ensemble, and by the melancholic and passionate sounds of eastern Europe. “The play is particularly appropriate for commemorating the International Holocaust Remembrance Day,” Silvia Priori explained. “It doesn’t speak about the Holocaust, but about the profound topic of multiculturalism and integration.”

The play is part of the project “You’ve got mail”, which is being promoted by the town Council, together with the non-profit foundation “UBI-per Varese” and the bank, UBI-Banca Popolare di Bergamo, to enable disadvantaged families to come to the theatre.