Do This One Thing For Me is a one woman show written and performed by Jane Elias, directed by Tracy Bersley and produced by A Park Productions, a New York based theatre production company.
Through one body, two predominant characters (herself and her father), and conversation Elias transports us through the life of her father; a holocaust survivor and the way in which this trauma moulded their relationship and affected her own life.
Elias gives voice to her father Benny, a Sephardic Jew from a northern town in Greece, where only thirty five Jews survived the Holocaust. Hearing his testimony reminds me of the great importance of listening to first and second hand testimonies, an experience which becomes less of an opportunity every year. We are living in a greatly privileged time where we still have accessibility to learn from the experiences of survivors and understand first-hand the trauma that has passed down through the families. Benny’s testimony is one of wonder, and Elias misses none of its nuance in the script.
From small descriptions of how his tongue felt after days without water, to the tale of how he kept his family alive in Bergen-Belsen by selling tobacco. The way Elias gives voice to her father is technically impressive as she switches from character to character too fast for the naked eye to register. She weaves together the dynamic so precisely that when one character is speaking you can literally feel the presence of the other in the theatre. Despite the subject matter it would be improper of me not to highlight the many moments of wit which arise from the well written dialogue.
Despite the play being based in her father’s tales of the Holocaust and his subsequent beliefs and Jewish values that he wishes for his daughter to uphold. The play’s main theme is the simple relationship between a father and a daughter and so is relatable on even the most basic level of a parent-child relationship.
Basically if you have a dad, or any sort of overbearing parental presence in your life, then this play is relatable! A particularly striking scene depicts the father and daughter on the phone to one another as they hash through an argument about how often they should contact each other. A new realisation takes hold of me, and continues through the play, as the audience is invited to think in ways about their parents that they had perhaps not previously. I began to question why my Dad’s expectations and views are the way that they are. The question “did you eat?” which Benny asks Jane over the phone becomes a completely different question once put into the context of his stories of deep hunger from days spent in Auschwitz.
The production of the play is simple, a single chair and no costume, yet I see no way it could be different and simple lighting is used effectively to move us through locations and conversations. Ending on a deeply emotive note this is a play of great importance. It feels like an honour to watch it. In the hubbub of the Fringe I urge you to take a moment to breathe and watch this thought provoking piece of work.
Do This One Thing For Me is on at Bedlam theatre, Aug 5 – 11, 13 – 18, 20 – 26. Tickets available here.
Images provided to The Student by Do This One Thing For Me