A dramatic reading of the story of Job
This dramatic reading attempts to tell the whole story of the Book of Job and relate it to the current issues of environmental destruction, sustainability and justice for the earth. It is designed to be read by a narrator with an actor miming the actions shown in brackets. He has one word to speak in the piece, Why? It will need some rehearsing, as the mimed actions need to be exaggerated so that everyone can see them.
This is Job. (Job stands forward)
Job is you. (points to someone else)
Job is me. (points to self)
In fact Job (nods)
could be anyone. (shrugs and raises hands to shoulders)
In fact Job (nods)
could be everyone. (opens arms wide)
This is Job. (nods)
Job was a good man. (Job nods and smiles)
Job did not do anything wrong: (shakes head)
he made his wife breakfast in bed; (mimes pouring a cup of tea)
he helped his children with their homework; (pretends to think then write)
he went to church every week, sometimes twice; (prays)
he even bought the Big Issue. (pretends to get out wallet and gives coin away)
Job was a good man. (nods and smiles)
Job did not do anything wrong. (shakes head)
But life began to go wrong, (Job frowns)
badly wrong. (frowns and sticks bottom lip out)
He lost his job. (pretends to sit at desk and then shakes head)
The bank took his house away. (makes arms into a roof shape and then pushes away)
His children died in an accident. (hold arms as if holding a baby and then holds self)
Then he got a horrible, itchy disease. (scratches self all over)
Life began to go wrong, (frowns)
badly wrong. (frowns and sticks bottom lip out)
Job, quite rightly,
asked the question, the big question, (Job holds hands out and shouts ‘Why?’)
His wife said, ‘Just curse God or stop believing in God altogether.’ (waves fist at sky)
But Job said, no, (uses other hand to pull fist down)
and went to church, twice, (prays)
and bought a Big Issue. (pretends to get wallet out and gives coin away)
Job, quite rightly,
asked the question, the big question, (holds hands out and shouts ‘Why?’)
Job’s friends arrived. (Job mimes greeting and hugging)
They sat with him and didn’t say a word. (mimes zipping mouth)
After about a week (counts up to seven on fingers)
they each spoke in turn. (looks in three different directions in turn as if addressing three people)
‘You must have done something wrong.’ (turning to the right, wags finger, then shakes head)
‘You can’t have trusted God.’ (turning to the left, points to sky, then shakes head)
‘If you pray enough, God will fix it.’ (turning to face the audience, prays, then shakes head)
‘Don’t worry, it really can’t be that bad,’ they said. (shakes head and pushes them away)
And Job, do you know what Job did? (Job points to self)
He turned to God (points up to sky)
and he did,
he dared, to ask the question, (takes deep breath in)
the big question,
(holds hands up to mouth and shouts ‘Why?’ at the sky,
Why, why, why, why,
why, why, why?)
Silence. (Job puts head side to side as if listening, then places a fist on each hip as if waiting)
And God takes a deep breath
and breathes out the most enormous whirlwind (Job steps back as if blown away)
and answers, by saying,
‘Where were you when I laid down the rocks of the earth? (spreads arms out low)
Where were you when I flung the stars into space? (flings stars into space)
Who draws the seas back each day and washes clean the beach? (pulls in and sweeps out)
What pulls the rain up into the clouds and waters the earth so the plants grow? (mimes rain with fingers and arm growing as a plant)
Stop thinking only of yourself Job, and pay attention to the sky! (looks up as if in wonder)
Pay attention to the sky
and see the suffering of my people
when the rains do not come! (Job holds belly as if hungry)
Pay attention to the sky
and see my children running to hide
as the war planes fly overhead! (Job hands raised over head and duck)
Pay attention to the sky
and see the forests choking on the pollution
of acid rain caused by too many cars. (Job hands to throat as if choking)
‘Pay attention to the sky
and see the rivers die when washing powders
and pesticides wash out of the soil! (Job puts hands together and swims like a fish the stops)
Pay attention to the sky
as shopping centres are built
paving over green fields where butterflies once lived! (Job makes hands into butterflies)
Pay attention to the sky
as children sit playing computer games (Job mimes holding a game console and plays with thumbs)
because nature’s playground is no more!’
Then Job answered God. (Job kneels down)
‘I spoke what I did not understand, and I am sorry, (looks down)
mysteries that are beyond my imaginings. (puts hands to temples)
I have paid attention to the sky, (puts one hand up)
glimpsed your wisdom, (puts other hand up)
and seen your suffering.’ (puts head down)
Then Job answered God,
‘I spoke what I did not understand, and I am sorry.’ (stands up as if lifted up)
And God sent the friends away
with a flea in their ear, (Job flicks hands away)
for they had not spoken the truth to Job (points to lips)
and had tried to give him the easy answers.
But most of all because they had not trusted God (shakes head)
with their questions
or dared to show their anger.
And God sent the friends away
with a flea in their ear. (flicks hands away)
So God returned Job to paradise – (Job looks around)
well almost, but not quite.
Job got a new job (pretends to sit at desk)
and the bank admitted they had made a mistake and returned his house, (makes arms into a roof shape)
and his itchy skin condition cleared up; (rubs cheek as if washing and smile)
but nothing could bring back his children. (pretends to pick bunch of flowers, then lays them down)
God returned Job to paradise. (looks around)
Well almost, but not quite.
This is Job. (Job stands forward)
Job is you. (points to someone else)
Job is me. (points to self)
In fact Job (nods)
could be anyone. (shrugs and raises hands to shoulders)
In fact Job (nods)
could be everyone. (opens arms wide)
This is Job. (nods)
And Job remembers to pay attention to the sky. (Job looks up and raise both hands)
Do you? (The narrator looks out at the congregation)