'Revelation' retells Bible's fire-and-brimstone book
One-man re-actment, in several languages with music, finds
comfort, hope in apocalyptic visions
March 7, 2003
By DEBRA D. BASS
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
In this day and age, when a middle-aged man with a shaved head
wearing a sandwich board sign bearing the words "Apocalypse" in bold
capital letters strolls past handing out reading material, people
aren't just skeptical, they are convinced.
It requires no certified survey conducted by impartial observers
to deduce that most folks probably think he's some -- pardon the
phrase -- "wing nut" with an end of the world doomsday scenario to
share with anyone foolish enough to make eye contact.
"When I tell them that it's a play," Eliot Fintushel sighs with a
singsong I'm-just-a-normal-guy tone, "then they laugh."
But he admits to receiving all kinds of responses, some of which
aren't so kind.
Well, whoever said tackling a biblical epic was easy?
Fintushel is currently producing an ambitious one-man
re-enactment of the "Book of Revelation," otherwise known as the
Apocalypse. It is the last book of the Bible, written by Apostle
John, depicting horrific visions of "events soon to take place."
Despite the fire and brimstone of an unhappy God, the book was
primarily written to comfort Christians who were enduring terrible
persecution from the Romans.
"I (portray) angels and devils, the whore of Babylon and the
bride of the lamb," Fintushel said of his performance, aided by
masks and exotic instruments.
Raised an Orthodox Jew, Fintushel said he will sing some sections
of "Revelation" in Hebrew as he believes the Jewish apostle would
have. He also incorporates bits of Latin, Greek, French, German,
Polish, Maori and "other unknown tongues."
Classically trained on the flute, he plays a collection of
religious and ceremonial instruments like the antelope's horn,
Tibetan bells, a North Indian drone box and an African thumb piano.
"I may be deluding myself. I've done that before, but I think
people will get something out of this (retelling)," Fintushel said.
Most importantly, he hopes people will appreciate "The Book of
Revelation" as more than just providing fodder for "right-wing
Christian zealots."
"I was morally offended by the book at first because I thought
some of the acts were so un-Christian, but I really have a new
appreciation for all of it," Fintushel said of his newfound
perceptions.
He said audiences can expect to see how he incorporates his
belief in the theory that opposites bring each other to life --
"angels and devils give birth to each other." And when the powerful
don't understand that, it leads to murderous self-righteousness, he
said.
This is the first time Fintushel has produced something that
wasn't an original work penned by his own hand. It seems no other
text written in the past 2,000 years would do.
ANGELS, DEVILS, HOPE
What: "Apocalypse: The Book of Revelation"
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Studio 208 at Kids' Street Theater, 709 Davis St., Santa
Rosa
Cost: $10 at the door (theater has less than 50 seats)
Information: 526-1481
You can reach Staff Writer Debra D. Bass at 521-5216 or dbass@pressdemocrat.com.
