Description
Drama based on Ezra 3 to 6, covering the 10 year struggle of the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem from the viewpoint of officials in the Persian empire. Style a tribute to the obvious TV series, but characters taken from the Bible. 4 characters - should all be male. 6 short scenes, so longer than normal sketch - about 10 minutes. Could split into 2 or 3 sections.
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Extract:
A humorous account of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, seen from the perspective of those who opposed it.
Cast (all officials of the Persian province of Trans-Euphrates, which includes Jerusalem)
Tattenai – Governor [posh but rather dim & concerned about own reputation]
Rehum – High Commissioner [experienced with levers of power]
Shimshai – Secretary to the Governor [well meaning but naïve]
Mithradeth – Councillor [schemer]
For authenticity should all be male, but not essential.
Setting
The office of the Governor of Trans-Euphrates, approx 500 BC. Indicated by a table and chairs – but actors
should move to retain interest. Actors may carry files or clipboards to hide script if needed. Projected
slides or card held up to show the setting and then the time changes.
Governor’s office, Province of Trans-Euphrates (part of the Persian Empire), approx 500 BC
Scene 1:
Rehum Well Shimshai, how are you enjoying your post as secretary to Lord Tattenai, our new
governor in Trans-Euphrates?
Shimshai Ah, Commissioner Rehum, how kind of you to enquire. The governor is settling in well
– seems to be taking quite an interest in local affairs.
R You will have to watch that Shimshai –if Lord Tattenai gets to understand how we are
running things here in Trans-Euphrates, there’s a risk that our new king, Artaxerxes,
might take an interest too. We wouldn’t want that, would we?
S Er, no, I suppose not. The last king, Cyrus, didn’t take much notice of us, did he – we
are rather on the edge of the Persian empire.
Mithradeth The main thing he did for us was to invite all those Jews to settle in the ruins of
Jerusalem - along with a massive grant from the Treasury.
S I’d forgotten that –quite a fuss at the time, wasn’t there? Shouldn’t they have opened
this new Temple they’re building by now?
R Perhaps – but they have been having a few problems.
M Unfortunately the planning application got lost.
R And their drainage system was condemned by the sanitary inspector.
M They were fined for a spelling mistake on their tax return.
R And some of their best workers found their work permits out of order.
S But I thought we prided ourselves on having a very efficient administration here in Trans-Euphrates?
M We do – when we want to.
Contines ....
See other Drama's by Kit Walkham:
A Choice of Paths - Click Here
At Your Service - Click Here
Verity - Click Here
Generations - Click Here
Viewpoints - Click Here