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Through the eyes of Reuven Sadeh-creator of Pah theater

 In 1992 I went to study metal smithing and art at Vitzo College for art and design in Haifa, Israel. living in Kibbutz Hazorea, my home village to which I have returned two years previously. I was playing guitar and singing with a local rock band; writing songs and performing on the local stage. It was during these years that I developed a strong connection to the stage and everything around it. Being a plastic artist, I had been doing stage designs for local productions performed at the kibbutz. I brought this passion to my studies and under the "cover” of a school project I started creating what I call “stage instruments”- theatrical sculptures that come to life when operated by the actor and create a unique movement and sound.

It was from that combination of passions - music, sculpture and overall stage composition that the concept of Pah Theater was born in my mind, and has thus taken shape with the help and contribution of the many artists I have had the honor of collaborating with in the past and, hopefully, in the years yet to come.

In 1996 I had finished four years at the art college and continued to play with the musical group under the name “Sinteva”. I began to bring my “metal monsters” to the band; exploring and experimenting with the musical capabilities of these primitive clumsy instruments in conjunction with modern technology and sound effects, “Sinteva” soon developed a unique sound with which we performed in a few interesting gigs around the Jisrael Valley.

The cast of Sinteva in those days included- Steve Arnautof- bass guitar and musical compositions, Michael Revroch- electric guitar , Hilel Yaron,  Shachar March, and myself - stage instruments, percussion, theatrics and experimental sound effects.

In one of our gigs in the spring of 2000, we met the didgeridoo artist, Yoram Sivan, and immediately added him to the band. He brought the deep natural wooden sounds of the didje which combined well with the metallic sounds of the “creatures” and enriched the overall sound of Sinteva.

In 1999, I was working on stage composition, musical and theatrical arrangements with the band for the first concept performance which took place in February 2001. We performed the first version of “The Trap of Freedom” at the Kibbutz Hazorea auditorium with full stage and live video effects.  The show was so successful that the crowd demanded another performance a week later. That was our last performance under the name Sinteva.

At this stage “Sinteva” transformed into Pah Theater and, not only did the name change, but the concept received a whole new dimension.

It was also around this time that we met a vanguard theater artist, Lea David, who brought with her an abundance of knowledge and skill in conducting workshops in alternative theater techniques. We had then managed to secure a performance at the “Aco International Contemporary Theater Festival” in September 2001 which demanded a more theatrical emphasis.

Pah Theater was thus formed,  We added a few new participants and  started  the production of  The Trap of Freedom two.  We conducted very   intense theater workshops under the instruction of Lea with the addition of some rhythm workshops.  A new script was written from the “Trap of Freedom” and the stage design developed even further. Since the performance was to be held outdoors, I constructed a production site to hold and operate the massive dynamic stage. While looking for a location to build the stage and rehearse, we eventually found an open field by Kibbutz Hazorea’s fishponds and set up camp for three months to put the show together.  This production turned out to be a pretty bumpy road, especially with the political and security situation in Israel becoming more and more unstable. The Aco festival was to take place at the end of October 2001. During the beginning of October, the head of the opposition party in the Israeli Knesset, Ariel Sharon, [who later became prime minister] stepped onto Mount Temple in Jerusalem and hell broke loose all over the country. Violent demonstrations by Israeli Arabs erupted in many Arabic towns; Acco included. All the large-scale outdoor performances were cancelled. And we were left with the construction and a show ready to be performed, but without a stage to perform it. Then started the rainy season and we found ourselves in the mud as well. But the 'show must go on' and we managed to squeeze into the first Tel- Aviv Festival taking place at the end of November.  We performed there for a whole week; ten shows all together.

The cast in tell-Aviv November 2001 included – Steve Arnautof- bass guitar, Eyal Epstein- guitars, Yoram Sivan- didgeridoo, flute and percussions,Lea David, Naama Telzoor, Shachar March, Hilel Yaron, Meir “amore” Yaron, Dina Samir, and myself, Reuven Sadeh, acting, percussion and stage instrument operation. 

At this point I could no longer find the necessary space and economic resources to operate in Kibbutz Hazorea and decided it was time to move on to the 'big city'.  I found a deserted industrial space which we rented in Jafa, an old part of Tel Aviv, and set up a new home base for Pah Theater. We secured another show at the Aco festival, and after a few months of rest,  we gathered back together in Jafa.  Under the supervision of our new director, Uri Morag, we began the production of The Trap of Freedom III.

In October 2001 we performed on the wall of the old city of Acco; the same walls that stopped the army of Napoleon some 200 years earlier.  We gave eight performances in four days. The performances were quite successful.  For four days, we were on top of the world; performing in front of a mesmerized, cheering crowd.

These were the last performances of Pah Theater.  The production expenses cost a lot more than the funds we could ever acquire; and with the on-going war in the Middle East, I found it impossible to continue with this project.  I was unable to find even the basic economic resources as people seem to have different priorities than art under such uncertain circumstances.

So,... Pah  Theater went on a long siesta and I went on to search the world for a time and place to carry on.  'The show must go on' and it will.  No matter how long it takes,…….we’ll be back!!!