A History of The Folksbiene
The Marriage Contract 1991-1992 Season
Central Synagogue Auditorium
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But where is the ketubah of Elimelech and Shifra? It's not in the music-box, the usual repository of the family papers. Shifra remembers that Yascha Ziskind, the secretary of Kibbutz Kfar Moshe, arranged "something" in the matter of their marriage twenty-five years ago. Elimelech remembers it differently. "We never got a marriage contract! Who needed such a thing in a kibbutz twenty-five years ago?" Ayala makes a practical suggestion: "Since I need your ketubah for my marriage, then just go get married!" Elimelech agrees to this solution, but the ever-obedient Shifra revolts for the first time in her life and refuses to marry him. Robert's visit and his announcement that his mother insists on seeing the Borozovsky's marriage contract only adds fuel to the fire. Elimelech phones Kibbutz Kfar Moshe to get help in the matter. Meanwhile, Ayala gives her father a lesson in how to court her mother. ACT 1, SCENE 2: The next day, Elimelech tries to woo Shifra with flowers, but his courting fails and they end up in a quarrel as usual. Into this tense atmosphere enters Buki, the young new secretary of Kibbutz Kfar Moshe. He is reluctant to stay, but when he notices Ayala, he decides he must remain to help solve the marriage contract problems. Elimelech places a desperate phone call to Mexico where Yascha Ziskind (former kibbutz secretary) is now the Israeli ambassador. ACT 2, SCENE 1: Soon Buki finds himself in the middle of a new domestic problem, and through his desire to help he short-circuits the electricity in the apartment. In the ensuing darkness, strange things happen.
This is the scene that Robert now
discovers when he returns. Elimelech tries once again to repair his
"broken" marriage, but Shifra, liberated from her housework, pours
out her heart to him about her years of married subservience.
Elimelech responds emotionally with the announcement. "I will start
my life all over -- from the beginning! ACT 2, SCENE 2: Elimelech decides to play ill, and neighbor Yaffa takes this opportunity to care for him. Buki and Ayala find a "common language" in a quiet corner of the apartment, but no such romance blooms between Yaffa and Elimelech. Robert, already sufficiently confused, now discovers that Ayala is an illegitimate child. Shifra packs to go and Elimelech complains that she is looting the house of its contents. Amid this excitement Buki finds their marriage contract in an unexpected place (where it was originally hidden by Yascha Ziskind); but it is too late. Elimelech is bitter, but at the end of a touching monologue, he confesses that he cannot live without Shifra. Shifra finally understands, and like in a comedy, agrees to stay. The play ends with one of the funniest phone calls in the history of telephone communications between Israel and Mexico. |
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