Lady Of Sorrows
Last night I dreamt I was performing Jesus Queen of Heaven, and forgot my lines.
I told the audience what had happened and I asked them for help.
I asked if anyone had a copy of the script that they could let me see.
The audience were very kind, and several of them held up copies of the script.
I opened one, so try to find my cue.
But I couldn't find it anywhere.
And I realised I couldn't understand the text at all.
It was as if I had forgotten how to read.
Several agonising minutes later, a line popped up in my head:
There was once a man who had two sons…
I had no idea if it came in the right place or not; but I held onto it like a lifeline.
And then I woke up.
I fell asleep, and dreamt again.
This time I was in a public place, a meeting of some kind, sitting in the audience.
Someone was whispering apologies in my ear.
They were saying they were very sorry that my proper dress could no longer be worn.
My proper dress being a gorgeous purple affair in heavy silk.
I looked down and saw I was wearing a plain black dress made of hemp.
And then I woke up…
Woke up to a new level of escalation in the Israel-Iran war.
And I thought: maybe the first dream is a response to the fact that my artistic language is no longer adequate to the demands of the present moment.
Because I could see very clearly that Netanyahu has engaged in this new dreadful war because it was beginning to look as if international pressure would force him to stop starving the Palestinian people.
Force him to enter into negotiations for a peace settlement.
And so in order to avoid doing even the most remotely semi-human thing, he had begun a new war.
Behind it all is the fact that he needs these endless walls to maintain himself in power. Because without them there is a danger his government will fall, and he will find himself facing justice for as many crimes.
And the level of evil involved in all this is maybe beyond my power of expression...
Maybe the black dress signifies the morning I must wear, maybe we all must wear, for the totally unnecessary deaths being caused by the wickedness and folly of the three old man involved:
Netanyahu, Khomeini, and Trump.
According to this morning’s story, the devil runs out of temptations to give Jesus.
And goes away to think of new ones.
While the good man, Jesus, is taken care of by angels.
But the Devil stays right beside these three evil old men, and he will never leave them.
Because they are addicted to violence and destruction.
“Old men” says Pedro in my INES,
“Old men. Tired old men. Desperate for power. That won't let go. That hold on and on and drag the whole world down with them to ruin.”
And what do we do?
We resist as best we can.
And how good to see millions of people turning out in the US to protest against Trump.
Though I’m sorry to see they didn’t rain on his repulsive parade…
“PEDRO
Lady of sorrows. Lady of tears.
In time of trouble we have always turned to you.
Protect us now. Save us from our enemies.
Place us in your guard. Guard our country.
Guard all those we love. Guard our children. Keep them safe.
Save them from the fire and from the knife.
Save them from hatred and the loss of innocence.
Lady save us all.
We know we are not worthy.
We have trampled your garden
And poured filth in your streams.
They say that you look down on us and weep.
Dry your tears. Come to our aid.
And if we do not deserve to live
At least give us the courage to accept our death
And to embrace it joyfully.”
And in the play, most unexpectedly, the prayer is answered….