REVIEW: Yentl, Marylebone Theatre
Compassion, pathos and credible performances make for a must-see tribute to Yiddish theatre
Drawn from Isaac Bashevis Singer’s famous short story, Yentl tells of a Jewish girl from a shtetl in the Pale of Settlement whose dream is to study Judaism’s holy scriptures in the yeshiva. But with the strictures of her faith excluding women from places of study, it is through Singer’s wonderful imagination that Yentl assumes the identity of a young man, changes her name to Anshl and starts her unique journey.
Life of course bowls its challenges and as Yentl’s narrative unfolds and the course of true love emerges, the complexities of her deceits and desires lead to the most unconventional and uncomfortable ménage a trois. This is a story of a world of Orthodox tradition being upended by the most unorthodox of behaviours, played out with a sensitive finesse. What makes Yentl even more distinctive is that the show’s dialogue seamlessly segues between English and (surtitled) Yiddish, imbuing the story with a rich authenticity.
This production is devised by the Kadimah Yiddish Theatre of Australia under the leadership of the show’s director Gary Abrahams and the company’s artistic director Evelyn Krape and first played in Melbourne four years ago. It speaks much for the cast’s belief in this play that three of its quartet of players are from Australia and have journeyed across the globe to bring the show to London.
Amy Hack assumes the title role in a performance that is as delicate as it is powerful. Hack convinces us of Yentl’s passion and her pain.
It is Evelyn Krape herself who lends the most flavoursome sprinkling of Yiddishkeit to the proceedings. Her character is The Figure, a ghostly fusion, if you will, of Greek chorus and the Emcee from Cabaret, who both comments on the story’s calamitous turn of events, as well as at times portraying Yentl’s conscience. Onstage for most of the play, Krape is magnificent in a portrayal that captures the compassion, pathos and above all the self-deprecating satire of Yiddish theatre. Look at Krape to get a glimpse of the dramatic forces that were to inspire the likes of Mel Brooks and Larry David.
Ashley Margolis and Genevieve Kingsford respectively play Avigdor and Hodes, the two ‘innocents’ who fall into Yentl’s web of deception. They too give very strong performances that are both absorbing and credible as we follow their personal experiences of discovery and revelation.
This is not a show for traditionalists, who may find both the narrative and the moments of occasional nudity troubling. But for those who seek an alternative interpretation of a slice of Jewish literary history, together with the most fabulous tribute to the art of Yiddish theatre, then Yentl is unmissable.
Read our interview with Gary Abrahams, director, here and with Amy Hack who plays the title role here.
Yentl is at the Marylebone Theatre until 12 April. marylebonetheatre.com
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