THE LAW OF RETURN

Written by MARTIN BLANK
Directed by ELISE THORON

Featuring
JOEL ROOKS, BEN MEHL, & ANDRÉ WARE

Scenic Design: ALEXIS DISTLER
Lighting Design: NICOLE PEARCE
Sound Design: JEREMY J. LEE
Costume Design: DEBRA BERGSMA OTTE
Casting Director: STEPHANIE KLAPPER
Technical Director: MATT VIEIRA
Assistant Director: BECKY ABRAMOWITZ
Assistant Lighting Design: ALLING LANGIN
Stage Manager: CASKEY HUNSADER
Graphic Design: THERESA EVANGELISTA
Publicity: DALE HELLER

4th Street Theatre
83 East 4th Street
New York, NY 10003
(800) 838-3006
August 7 through August 24, 2014

THE LAW OF RETURN was inspired by events surrounding the notorious 1987 Jonathan Pollard espionage case. Pollard, a American Jewish civilian analyst employed by U.S. Naval Intelligence, took it upon himself to make off with thousands of ultra-secret documents and pass them to Israeli operatives. He was caught, convicted, and sentenced to life. He is the only person in U.S. history ever to receive a life sentence for spying for an ally.

He and his supporters insisted he did it for ideological reasons. Israel needed to know literally everything that U.S. intelligence knew, involving all countries, positions of ships and airplanes, plus details of satellites. He felt he was above and beyond the rules and laws, doing the “right thing”. Others held that he did it purely for personal gain, as intelligence agencies alleged he had also dealt with the governments of South Africa, Argentina, Taiwan, and attempted to pass information to Pakistan. Once discovered, Pollard raced to the Israeli embassy for asylum. That’s the Law of Return. Once on Israeli soil, he is out of U.S. control and on his native soil, as a Jew.

In this play he is portrayed as a brilliant but distracted professional. Bantering humorously with his boss, playing practical jokes, talking a bit too fast, bouncing around a bit too energetically. Idealistic, enthusiastic, and immature. But due to his superior skills, he is able to work in the most top-secret area. Soon he meets with his elderly Israeli contact, revealing that U.S. security is lax, that he feels Israel is in grave danger, and that the U.S. is withholding vital information just to keep Israel “squirming” and afraid. He wants to be the hero, although he has no stomach for battle. He doesn’t realize that he is playing way out of his league, and that treachery is a two-way street. Betrayal is an slippery path, no matter what the reason or what the result. If there is no honor among thieves, there is certainly no honor among spies.

Ben Mehl is outstanding as the conflicted but determined Pollard. Joel Rooks is perfect as the Israeli contact, offering matzos in times of stress. Andre` Ware is Naval authority personified, whether in jovial or official mode. The play has plenty of humor, clever wordplay, and light moments. It also has warm moments between the characters when faith fails or courage lags. Yet the serious undertones of Pollard’s betrayal are not underplayed. The story is told so that its intricacies are clearly understood. The ending is stunning, even more so because it truly happened.

-Karen D’Onofrio-