A Testimony in two acts
Adaptation, direction, and performance:
Shay Semuel Kadimi
Based on testimonies by:
Ada Lachman, Esther Hershkowitz, and Ruth Eliaz.
English version: Yonny Lucas
100 minutes.
״Only identifying with the fate of the individual prevents forgetting״ Ruth Eliaz
About
Over eighty years after the Holocaust, despite the abundance of artistic expressions, technological tools, educational initiatives, and historical research survivor testimonies still play a central role in Holocaust remembrance. However, given average life expectancy, by the middle of the 21st century, no Holocaust survivors are expected to remain alive. In recent years, society has gradually been transitioning into a "post-testimony" era, one in which fictional elements in Holocaust memory increasingly outweigh factual, lived experience. This shift marks a move from “living memory,” carried by the survivors themselves, to “mediated memory” passed on by younger generations and other agents of memory.
Concept
"MANIA"
A testimony Play in Two-Act
100 minutes
Act I:
The audience is presented with the testimony of Mania Horowitz, without any disclosure that the character is portrayed by an actor. The performer's name is not mentioned, and the audience is immersed in the emotional and narrative journey, interpreting and engaging with the events on stage as if they are witnessing a real-life account. The experience is personal, intimate, and open to individual interpretation.
At the end of the testimony, after Mania exits the stage, a 4-minute video is projected, documenting the process of applying makeup and transforming into the character. It is at this point that the audience realizes that the testimony was performed by an actor.
Act II:
Shay Kadimi returns to the stage as himself. In front of the audience, he removes the makeup and visual elements of the character and shares the story behind the creation of Mania. He explains how the monologue was built from the real testimonies of three Holocaust survivors, and how their voices were woven into a single narrative.
He recounts the personal and emotional encounters he had with the families of Ada, Esther, and Ruth — the women whose stories inspired the character and how, after their passing, he was able to help close emotional circles with their children and grandchildren. Through this, the play becomes not only a testimony but a living memorial and a bridge between generations.
Synopsis
Mania Horowitz, age 95, born in Krakow, Poland, is a survivor of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp (1944/45), a widow, mother of two, and a resident of Tel Aviv. For over 70 years, she remained silent about what happened in Block 10, the medical ward of “the doctor of Auschwitz,” Dr. Josef Mengele. What she endured there was locked away in a bond of silence.
Now, for the first time, Mania attempts to break that silence. As she speaks, the fragile house of cards she built over decades collapses, shaking her present as the trauma of the past resurfaces. Haunted by a sense of being pursued, she struggles to explain actions for which there are no clear answers. In what feels like her final battle for life, she resolves to share her story: “Even if you don’t understand, at least you’ll know.”
The play follows Mania’s first and last testimony, delivered in front of a live audience. For decades, she chose to belong to the group of silent Holocaust survivors who couldn't bring themselves to speak, fearing the loss of their sanity. Suppression was her survival strategy. But this time, she believes she’s ready.
Full of fear, she’s drawn immediately back to those terrifying moments in Birkenau to the experiments in Block 10, to Dr. Mengele’s clinic, and to the moments following childbirth, when, in a desperate attempt to save lives, she was forced to end the suffering of a dying infant with a morphine injection after five days of agony.
Overwhelmed with emotion and pain, Mania opens a window into her soul, drawing words from haunting images seared into her memory. Her story is shaped by constant self-blame and the unrelenting question: "To be or not to be?" She cannot complete her testimony and regrets coming. At that moment, the audience steps onto the stage, forgetting they are watching a play reality and performance merge. With her last ounce of strength, she offers hope and exits the stage.
After Mania’s departure, a 4-minute video is projected showing the makeup process. Only then does the audience realize that Mania was portrayed by an actor. Following the video, the actor returns to the stage as himself, removes the makeup in front of the audience, and shares the process of building the character and the history of the play, “Mania,” which has now been performed for 27 years.
He shares stories behind the character, which is composed of the real testimonies of three Holocaust survivors Ada, Esther, and Ruth who became one: Mania. He recounts his emotional meetings with their families after the women passed away and speaks of the mission they left behind: the preservation of memory for future generations, through the creation of an "archetype", a female witness who will continue to testify when the originals are gone.
Since October 7, 2023 and the outbreak of the "Iron Swords" War, the second part of the encounter inevitably touches on both the distinctions and the connections between different tragedies and on our historical duty to separate between events, even within the context of collective and personal trauma.
The collective memory is fading as the generation that lived through the Holocaust disappears and with it, the personal memory dims as well. Critical discourse surrounding the Holocaust is more important now than ever, especially in light of the dramatic changes occurring globally, the alarming rise in antisemitism, and the growing distance from the events themselves. This is particularly relevant when considering the role of institutions, organizations, and international bodies established in response to the Holocaust, whose foundations lie in the commitment to remember and to learn from its lessons.
As Holocaust memory becomes more distant, so too does the world’s commitment to its moral and historical legacy.
It is from this personal and universal weight that our moral, social, and historical responsibility to preserve and deepen Holocaust memory only grows stronger a responsibility that should drive action, sharpen meaning, and strengthen both identity and belonging.
Through personal stories, chance encounters in the fabric of everyday life, the closing of some family circles and the opening of others, the encounter with Mania draws a line from the vast collective tragedy through a single face, an "archetype", formed out of a mission and a personal hope:
That identifying with the fate of the individual is what will prevent forgetting.
Theatre as a Powerful and Meaningful Educational Tool in Holocaust Remembrance.
Theatre is a powerful and creative medium that can serve as a compelling platform for dialogue between artists, creators, and audiences across a wide range of subjects. Through theatre, history, personal stories, and lived experiences can be conveyed in an immersive and emotionally resonant way.
Over the years, many theatrical works have been written and performed on the subject of the Holocaust. This artistic medium offers a vivid and engaging way to portray stories and deliver them to audiences in a moving and profound manner. Holocaust-related plays bring audiences into deep emotional experiences, allowing for a richer understanding of the historical context, the victims, the survivors, and the acts of courage that marked this dark chapter in human history.
Theatre offers a unique and intelligent format for delivering messages, instilling moral and historical lessons, encouraging dialogue, and sometimes even prompting calls to action through diverse and complex perspectives.
In this context, solo performances in particular create an intimate encounter, offering audiences a powerful and captivating experience. These performances tend to be intense, emotional, and richly layered, as a single actor takes the audience on a personal and profound journey into the inner world of a single character. This direct engagement allows for a strong emotional impact.
Such experiences often raise difficult questions, confront the audience with complex moral dilemmas, and can evoke discomfort, anger, or resistance. At the same time, they can inspire empathy, hope, and a deep emotional connection. The identification with the character may lead to greater understanding and sometimes even a shift in worldview or behavior.
These performances can also influence personal resilience, the ability to cope with adversity, and foster both individual and social responsibility. The combination of collective and personal trauma with the tools of theatre can serve as a powerful means for processing, understanding, and coping with trauma—both emotional and psychological, personal and universal.
The impact of such a performance, and the conversations it generates among individuals, offers commanders, educators, and facilitators a valuable moral-educational tool for discussions especially around how the Holocaust is remembered in a rapidly changing world, as the generation of survivors gradually disappears, and with them, the personal memory fades.
About the Creator – Shay Samuel Kadimi
Shay S Kadimi is an Israeli theater artist, actor, and director, and a graduate of the Beit Zvi School of Performing Arts (Class of 2004). With over two decades of continuous creative work, Kadimi has established what can be described as a lifelong artistic mission using the stage as a space for memory, empathy, and education.
His body of work, and MANIA in particular, reflects a deep commitment to preserving Holocaust testimony in ways that are emotionally accessible and relevant to contemporary audiences. Since its premiere in 1997, MANIA has been presented in hundreds of venues in Israel and internationally, engaging a wide range of audiences from high school students and educators to artists, academics, diplomats, and senior government officials.
Kadimi's performances have been hosted by cultural institutions, memorial centers, embassies, academic forums, and government bodies, making his work a recognized platform for intercultural dialogue, remembrance, and moral reflection. His ability to bring history to life through deeply human storytelling has made him a sought-after voice in Holocaust memory programming.
Through MANIA, Kadimi continues to fulfill the ethical and artistic responsibility of giving voice to those who can no longer speak turning silence into story, and testimony into timeless connection.
MANIA's English version
YONNY LUCAS – Over 50 years of experience in teaching acting, speech and musical theatre, as well as translating, scriptwriting, and poetry.
Lectured at Tel Aviv University (Israel), ministery of education teacher training and acting courses for new immigrants.
An expert in teaching and coaching actors for roles in international films, with a focus on variety of accents. Credits include the BBC's The impossible spy, Rambo III , Zaytoun, The fast and the furious, Unorthodox, Free zoon and Adam resurrected. Provides training in speech and public speaking for politicians, and television newscasters.
30 years responsible for voice and speech at the "Gesher theatre", including Gesher’s Salomé in English at London‘s Heymarket Theatre
Eternal Memory
