Yiddish drama proves potent
Sholem Asch’s 1906 drama “God of Vengeance” (“Got Fun Nekome”) has a storied history. Its United States debut in the original Yiddish in 1907 was greeted with outrage from Orthodox newspapers. Its 1923 English-language production on Broadway was cut short when the cast, producer and theater owner were indicted and convicted for obscenity, a conviction later reversed upon appeal. Paula Vogel’s 2015 play “Indecent,” which also went on to Broadway, is all about Asch’s play and the controversy surrounding it.
So, what was so controversial? “God of Vengeance” is about the husband-and-wife proprietors of a brothel who have tried to keep their daughter Rivkeleh sheltered from their business downstairs, and now are actively trying to arrange a marriage for her in the pious Jewish community. But young Rivkeleh’s friendship with Mankeh, one of the women employed downstairs, has blossomed into a romance that threatens to topple her father Yankl’s aspirations to respectability and redemption through his daughter. On top of that, many worried that the play’s depiction of rabbis turning a blind eye to all of this as long as the dowry is generous enough played into harmful stereotypes.
The Yiddish Theatre Ensemble, which was cofounded by Mill Valley resident Naomi Newman, originally planned to produce “God of Vengeance” in English in Berkeley last September, but the COVID pandemic shutdown nipped that plan in the bud. Instead, YTE reimagined the production as innovative online theater filmed over Zoom, and a short four-day online run in March proved so successful that the company has made the show available again
for almost the entire month of May.
The large cast of 17 performs in separate windows artfully arranged to give the appearance of being in the same place even though the actors themselves were never in the same room, with virtual backgrounds by production designer Jeremy Knight suggesting the family’s apartment, the frame of a mirror or a rainy night outside. The fact that the actors are superimposed over virtual backgrounds is occasionally obvious but seldom distracting in director Bruce Bierman’s meticulously assembled production.
The story has been moved from Asch’s native Poland circa 1900 (as a subdivision of the Russian Empire) to 1932 New York City, established early on in a montage of historical photos. Musical director and composer David Rosenfeld sets a dramatic mood in a variety of styles, whether it’s ominous violin or romantic mandolin or bouncy period jazz.
Caraid O’Brien’s 1999 English translation is liberally laced with Yiddish words that are usually immediately reiterated in English, at least the first time around. One tender love scene is performed almost entirely in Yiddish in this production, to beautiful effect, and subtitles are available.
Strikingly transformed over the course of the play, Elena Faverio radiates youthful exuberance as daughter Rivkeleh, but the mere presence of her father is enough to make her retreat into her shell. It’s easy to see why. Roni Alperin seethes with bitter resentment and agitated insecurity as father Yankl, whether he’s boasting to the neighbors he despises or coaxing his daughter to feel happy and secure around his erratic volatility. Jill Eickmann is particularly potent as Soreh, the doggedly upbeat, practical-minded mother who struggles to navigate around her husband’s moods and the spiraling situation to salvage what she can of their lofty aspirations.
Rivkeleh lights up whenever she’s around sex worker Mankeh, portrayed by Zissel Piazza (also the show’s Yiddish consultant) with playful, gentle longing. Simon Winheld is boorish, rough and mocking as the procurer Shlomo, who keeps stringing along aging brothel veteran Hindl (Esther Mulligan) with promises of marriage.
Newman exudes unflappable geniality as Reb Eli, a matchmaking rabbi who keeps assuring the family that a generous financial arrangement can smooth over any distasteful details so long as they go unmentioned.