Two Montreal artists found contemporary relevance in an ancient biblical tale and created one of the great Fringe success stories of the past year: JOB: The Hip-Hop Musical (at Performance Works on September 4, 6, 9, and 11 to 13). Eli Batalion and Jerome Saibil play battling MCs Cain and Abel in a version of the story adapted to a corporate setting in the rap-music industry. The duo has collected five-star reviews from across North America, written a hit sequel, and landed a month-long run at Toronto's Tarragon Theatre this fall; their lawyers are negotiating an off-Broadway contract for next spring.

Interviewed at a Granville Island restaurant, Saibil recalled the pre-opening fear that they had written a show that offered nothing for anyone. "We thought that it was going to bomb. We thought people who are into hip-hop aren't into theatre or the Bible; and people who are into the Bible aren't into hip-hop or theatre; and theatre people aren't into the Bible or hip-hop. So we thought we wouldn't hit any demographic. But instead we had the total opposite response."

The pair, both 23, started performing together in a Jewish school a decade ago, where they read the story of Job--a rich man whose faith in God is tested to the limits--in its original Hebrew. "We aren't religious as such. We read it as an interesting ancient text among many interesting ancient texts," Saibil said.

- Tim Carlson