The fifth installment of the Back in Time series:
Here’s the full script as written, though it may have been modified in performance or in editing:
Ishmael: Wow, look at all this food! Olives! Bread! Cheese! Wine! This is more food than I’ve seen in a long time!
Thecla [looking straight ahead, across the table]: We who follow Jesus believe that God has provided enough for everyone — IF we all share and share alike equally.
Barnabas [looking to his left, as if looking at Ishmael]: Well, Ishmael, doesn’t this make up for selling your business and giving all your money to the poor?
Ishmael [talking with his mouth full]: Boy, these olives are really good. Yes, everyone is so nice here. I mean, they really DO treat each other as they would like to be treated themselves.
Barnabas: We’re both very glad to be here. Thank you for welcoming us.
Thecla: We’re glad you joined us. Ishmael, we’re glad you like the food. And we do try to treat each other with love and kindness. Just remember, that not everyone likes us. [looking to her right, as if looking at Phoebe] Right, Phoebe?
Phoebe [looking to her left, as if looking at Thecla]: That’s right, Thecla. The Romans don’t like us. And the high priests of the Great Temple are worried because the Romans don’t like us. We’re going to start going to other cities, and join the synagogues there.
Thecla: Yes, my daughter, Priscilla and I are going to go to Rome.
Priscilla: We think it would be a good idea to make connections with the Jewish community in Rome. We think it would be a good idea to take our teachings to the capital city of the entire Roman Empire.
Phoebe: I’m going to Corinth, to connect with the synagogue there. Though it will be strange to live there, because they say the Jews in Corinth speak only Greek — they don’t speak both Greek and Aramaic like us.
Barnabas: Wow, it sounds like the followers of Jesus are going everywhere! Should Ishmael and I travel somewhere, too, to help spread the teachings of Jesus?
Thecla: We were hoping that perhaps you two could go to Thessalonica.
Ishmael: What, me go to Greece?
Barnabas [looking to his left, as if looking at Ishmael]: Come on, Ishmael, it’ll be great. The best olives in the world grow there. [looking straight ahead] Of course we’ll go, Thecla. We want to do our part.
Thecla: Good. We want to you spend a few more days here to learn more about how we do things. Then we’ll all leave together.
Barnabas: Just think, Ishmael. Soon we’ll be in a ship, heading across the ocean to Greece! Imagine what adventures we’ll have!
Ishmael: I just hope you know what you’re getting us into.
British police box image: CC BY SA 2.0 Immanuel Burton