Collective residencies / HUMANITIES II / Olot

ROY HOROVITZ

From Monday, 24 October 2016 to Wednesday, 2 November 2016

ROY HOROVITZ
Actor, director and dramaturg
Israel

Bio

Roy Horovitz (Israel, 1970) is a graduate of the Nisan Nativ Acting Studio, and of the Drama Department in Tel-Aviv University. He is now a PhD student in Comparative Literature at Bar-Ilan University, working on Biblical Israeli dramaturgy. 

As an actor, Roy has performed many roles for various theatres, and he has directed a succession of critically acclaimed productions, which were performed throughout Israel. He is also a Lecturer of Play Analysis and Theatre History (Tel Aviv and Haifa Universities), and between 2004-2009 was the Dramaturg and Artistic Consultant of Beer-Sheva Municipal Theatre. Between 2011-2015, he was the artistic director of the Municipal theatre in Kiryat Shmona. Roy is also a member of the Theater Department of the Israeli Council for Culture and Art, a member of the Classification Committee of immigrant theater artists with the support of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and a member of the Artistic Committee of MATAN – Experimental Theater Center.

Project

My current project is part of my PhD thesis, written at the Department of Comparative Literature of the Bar-Ilan University. The research examines modern Israeli plays, based on Biblical materials, which were produced throughout the years on Habima’s (Israel’s National Theatre) stage.

Ever since its modest beginnings, somewhere in the end of the nineteenth Century, Jewish theatre turned to the Bible as a major source for its dramaturgy Along the years, many Israeli writers found themselves exploring the richness and diversity of the Bible and using it for their creations. My research wishes to follow these many productions and to look at their timing, the selected episodes, the different artistic approaches and strategies taken by different playwrights while dealing with the raw materials of the Bible, the relevance of the ancient materials to contemporary everyday life and political, economical, sociological issues in Israel and the way these productions were accepted among reviewers and audiences.

Roy Horovitz at Faber

OMG!!! Where do I begin? How to summarize the last ten days, which I spent here, at the Faber residency in Olot, surrounded by all this beauty?

I came here from Israel.

My very first visit to Catalonia (not Spain, Catalonya!, I learn fast…).

Had no idea what to expect.

Was told that I would be picked up from the station.

Went off the bus and there he was: Francesc Seres, our host, the man behind this wonderful project, smiling at me, leading me to the car, suggest taking me for a quick tour of the city.

I say ‘yes, sure’.

We hit the road.

Wow, it all looks amazing. Truly “love from first sight”, these things happen.

From there on, things just got better and better: meeting some lovely colleagues (Valeria, David, Andrew and Llatzer- you entered my heart, inspired me, moved me every one and each of you), enjoying excellent conditions (great facilities, total isolation and silence when needed, great company and exchange of ideas from time to time, delicious food and of course the view, good God, the view from the balcony), kind hospitality and lots of learning: about the place, its history, geography (Agata- thanks again for the great guided tour!), culture, politics, language, other people and, of course, about myself.

There is indeed “a-lot to learn in Olot”!!! (and did I mention I learn fast?).

There was just one night in which I had to leave the place and go somewhere else. It was last Saturday, for the closing ceremony of Filmets- Badalona Film Festival.

It turned out, within an amazing timing, that the wonderful Israeli actress, Miriam Zohar, who’s also a close friend and colleague of mine, won the Venus Award for a leading actress (Millor Actriu). Unfortunately, she couldn’t attend it (aged 85, she’s still performing almost every night on the stage) and asked me to go and represent her. I was very happy and decided to take that mission seriously and to give the traditional “thank you speech” in… Catalan!!!

I knocked on the door of my new friend, the super talented Valèria Gaillard, and asked her to teach me, and quickly, please! (I’m a fast learner, remember?)

Half a day we rehearsed (all these “double L”- ll- my God…), but at 0800 PM I stood on the Teatre Zorrilla’s stage, in front of some 500 people and T.V. cameras and spoke. The audience went mad, I was in heaven, the rest is history ☺

No kidding, all in all, my stay here was such a fruitful experience, and I’ve managed to make quite a significant progress with my work (a thesis regarding Israeli theatre based on Biblical materials. Take a look at my website, www.royhorovitz.com).

Thank you, Faber residency (Francesc, Albert, Agata, dear sponsers…), You are doing a great work!!! I promise to be a devoted ambassador, spreading the word about you and preparing all my homework (Valeria recommended so many books, Llatzer sent me a play, Andrew and David referred to some must T.V. series and movies…).

As I see it, it was only the beginning of a wonderful friendship between us, and I already look forward to our next time together!

Notícies, articles i activitats

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