The Tragedy of Judas Iscariot (1926 Tavani), play

The Tragedy of Judas Iscariot (1926) is a play by F. Tavani.

Abstract

"A modern drama in a prologue and five acts."

Editions, performances, translations

Published in Amersham [England]: Norrie, 1926, under the pseudonym of Gregorio D'Arci.

Synopsis

The play begins with Judas Iscariot’s birth and a prophecy revealed to Cyborea, his mother, which says that Judas is cursed, so he is left for dead, floating in a basket. Next, Judas, now thirty years old, is met by Lucifer, who tells him of the curse that was put on him. Lucifer asks Judas to do one thing for him, because Lucifer has “more regard for you (Judas) than any other mortal on earth.” (Pg. 16) The play is now located in a mansion of a Sadducee, named Manahem, where he and his wife, Cyborea, are preparing for the wedding of his daughter, Rachael, and her fiancé, Samuel. Judas, thought to be a beggar, is welcomed into the house and speaks to Manahem about his struggles and Judas’s identity, as the son of Judas of Galonite, is found out. Manahem offers his hospitality to Judas, because of Judas’s noble ancestors. Judas figures out that Cyborea, his host’s wife, is his mother. Samuel confronts Judas, to turn him in to the authorities and Judas kills him. Now in Capernaum, Cephas asks Judas to take over the affairs of the Jesus, due to age. Members of the Sanhedrin announce that Jesus should die for being guilty before the law and the state. Lucifer tells Judas to help the men by bringing Jesus to them for questioning. Manahem visits Rachael, who now has a child with Judas, and she tells her father about Judas’s stealing from the funds of the Jesus community, to give the family food to eat, in the amount of thirty pieces of silver. The disciples were calling Judas a thief, and Manahem says that he will give them the needed money if Judas helps bring Jesus to the Sanhedrin. Judas fears that he is being taken advantage of and doesn’t want to do the deed. Manahem returns with Roman soldiers and Judas leads them to Jesus. There is an intermezzo where a cinema proprietor, a producer, and three of the actors discuss making the play into a movie. All but the cinema proprietor and the actor who portrays Judas are left and the proprietor, who is actually an old friend of the actor, wishes to make the play a movie whose profits can help those who the actor betrayed by leaving his country to write and rehearse the play. Judas is in the countryside during a storm, trying to stab himself to death, but Rachael and child find him and she tries to talk him out of it. Judas believes that he needs to pay for what he has done. He tells Rachael to leave and that he will follow shortly, to return the silver to the Sanhedrin, but Judas uses his tunic as a noose and hangs himself. -- Alexander Hyla, University of Michigan