Vanunu's story

Morde — Written by Paul Rees
Lion Theatre
8pm nightly, until August 29
$18/$10 concession

ADELAIDE — What has St John's Church in Darlinghurst, Sydney, got to do with nuclear weapons in Israel? Morde draws them together in an excellent play about Mordechai Vanunu, a political prisoner in Israel.

Vanunu was imprisoned for revealing a set of photographs of Israel's secret nuclear bomb-making facilities in the Negev Desert. (Before 1986, Israel was only rumoured to have nuclear weapons.) The play comments on the extent to which a military state will go to stifle political dissent. Vanunu, kidnapped from Rome by Israel's secret police, the Mossad, was tried for treason and remains in prison to this day.

The play alternates between scenes of St John's Church and the Israeli prison where Vanunu is held.

In the church, political discussions are held, including one about nuclear weapons: are they an effective deterrent against war or are they just wrong? In these scenes Vanunu is confused and uncertain. He is weighing up whether to reveal the photographs or not. The decision is heavily influenced by his morals.

Two of the church scene participants switch roles to play the secret police throwing questions and threats at Vanunu in prison. They ask him about his religion, how he feels about his country and why he betrayed it.

From GLW issue 330