Nekudat Or (נקודת אור)
Updated: Sep 10
DER LICHTSTRAHL/ LOUIS L'ENFANT DE LA NUIT/ A TOUCH OF LIGHT/LUIS EL NIÑO DE LA NOCHE
A puppet show about the life and invention of Louis Braille
Contact the Train Theater of Jerusalem ( תאטרון הקרון) here
“What can one do and say when one is asked to write a few lines about a show that leaves one speechless. What can one say about fifty minutes of pleasure that leave the children filled with wonder and the adults amazed? The words preclude the magic of the show which made out of very simple means, allows the spectators’ imagination to explode and to talk about the ineffable.”
A.L. Fonbaustier, Dernieres Nouvelles d’Alsace. 2002
Concept, Direction, Text, Design, Puppets and Performance: Patricia O'Donovan.
Music: Rachel Yatzkan
Stage Construction: Mario Keizman.
A Co-Production of the Train Theater of Jerusalemother actors and Ambulo Company, with the support of the Jerusalem Foundation.
Performing the show since1994 when I created it, until 2018, the show goes on with other actors I directed to replace me. In Israel, Roni Golan performed from 2018 until 2025, and from 2025 until the present, Matan Levi.
In France, the show's continued and overwhelming success led to such a high demand that, between 2006 and 2015, I decided to direct other actresses to perform it. Maya Behar, Deborah Benassouli, and Lital Tiyano each took on the role. At times, I travelled to France to perform the show myself, while at other times they performed it. Eventually, I stopped performing the show altogether.
National and International Festivals
Germany: Festival Playground Israel, Berlin. July 2015
Germany: KinderKinder, Hamburg. November 2015
Canada: International Children's Festival, St Albert. May 2014
Israel: International Festival of Puppet Theater, Jerusalem. August 2013
Israel: International Festival of Puppet Theater, Jerusalem. August 2012
Spain: TOT International Festival of Puppet Theater, Barcelona. 2011
Switzerland: CULTURESCAPES, Basel and St. Gallen. November 2011
India: ISHARA International Festival of Puppet Theater, Mumbai and New Delhi. February 2010
Israel: TEATRONETTO Festival for Children, Jaffa. April 2009
Belgium: Contemporary Shadow Theater Festival, Brussels. December 2009
Austria: DSCHUNGEL Theater for Young Public-Art Week for Young Public. Vienna. May 2008 (in English and Hebrew)
Israel : International Festival of Puppet Theater, Jerusalem. August 2008
Italy: INCANTI. International Festival of Puppet Theater, Torino. October 2006 (in Spanish)
Portugal: International Festival of Marionettes and Animated Figures, Lisbon. June 2005( in Spanish)
Canada: ARTAPALOOZA Arts festival for Kids and Teenagers, Montreal. February 2004 (in French and English)
Brazil: International Festival of Puppet Theater , Belo Horizonte. June 2004 (in Spanish)
Brazil: International Festival of Puppet Theater, Canela. June 2004 (in Spanish)
Israel: HOLON International Festival of Puppet Theater. July 2003
Israel: ZEBRA Festival of Puppet Theater, Jaffa. July 2003
Israel: HAIFA Children's Festival. April 2001
France: MELI' MOME International Theater Festival for Children, Reims. March 2000 (in French)
France: XII International Puppet Theater Festival, Mirepoix-en-Ariege. August 2000 (in French)
Spain: XV International Weeks of Children's Theater, Madrid. November 2000 (in French)
France: International Theater Festival du Val d'Oise. November 2000 (in French)
France: MELI'MOME International Theater Festival for Children, Reims. March 2000(in French)
France: 10th Festival of Theater for Young Public, Aix-en-Provence. October 1999 (in French)
Canada: Northern Saskatchewan International Children's Festival, Saskatoon. May 1998 (in English)
Canada: LES COUPS DE THEATRE. International Rendez- Vous of Young Public's Theater, Montreal. June 1998 (in French and English)
Israel: ISRAEL FESTIVAL, Jerusalem. June 1998.
Canada: MILK International Children's Festival of the Arts, Toronto. May 1998 (in English)
Canada: Calgary International Children's Festival, Calgary. May 1998 (in English)
France: International Theater Encounters, Vannes. March 1998 (in French)
Germany: AUGENGLIK Mal! IV German Children and Young Public Festival, Berlin. April 1997 (in German)
France: CHARLEVILLE-MEZIERS International Puppet Theater Festival . September 1997 (in French)
Ireland: DUBLIN Theater Festival. October 1997.(in English)
Germany: KINDERFEST International Puppet Theater Festival. Hamburg, October 1997 (in German)
Germany: LIRUM LARUM International Puppet Theater Festival. Freiburg, October 1997 (in German)
Germany: International Puppet Theater Festival, Husum. October 1997 (in German)
Israel: PHENOMENA International Festival of Performing Arts, Jerusalem. August 1996
Israel: VIII International Puppet Theater Festival, Jerusalem. August, 1994
Press Reviews HERE
NO30 NO19 NO18 NO10 NO5 NO3 NO NO2 NO6 DSCF0311 DSCF0348 IMG_9861 IMG_9788 IMG_9783 IMG_9772
Success in Europe:
Augenblick-Mal! is a festival in Berlin that every year presents the best of that year's German theater plus that of a foreign country. In 1997 Israel was hosted and I was chosen in the category of Israeli Children's Puppet Theater. I performed "Ein Lichtschimmer" (also called Der Lichtstrahl) in German.
The success of "Ein Lichtschimmer" was overwhelming, acclaimed by Wolfgang Shneider and I was immediately invited to perform the following years, touring Germany.
From 1998 onwards "Louis l' Enfant de la Nuit' toured France
playing from the major cities to the smallest and remote villages of France. It was selected by the League of Teachers as a show recommended for schools: (Spectacles en recommandé /La Ligue de l'enseignement). As well it integrated the regular repertoire of national theaters in France for adult audiences.
The map just shows locations marked
until 2004, but the show continued playing I France untill May 2017!!!!
The show has represented Israel in international cultural events such as:
The 60th anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel, Vienna, Austria, 2008
The Week of Jewish Culture in Chemnitz, Germany, 1997
Culturescapes in Switzerland 2012.
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