One of the greatest hits of the Yiddish stage, Mirele Efros is called the 'Yiddish Queen Lear' for its depiction of a fierce and complex matriarch.
The title role was performed by leading Yiddish actresses across Europe, England, North America and Israel. A silent Yiddish film adaptation was produced in Warsaw in 1912, and a later film adaptation (in Yiddish with English subtitles) was released in the U.S. in 1938.
Featuring a company of leading British-Jewish actors, this reading will be directed by Richard Beecham, followed by Yiddish extracts directed by Tamara Micner and featuring Tamara Micner & David Schneider.
David is an actor, writer and director best known for shows like I'm Alan Partridge and The Day Today, and as a writer of Bafta-nominated The Death Of Stalin. He researched a Ph.D in Yiddish drama at Oxford and is the grandson of Yiddish playwright Abisz Meisels and actress Klara Meisels.
The translation for this performance is by Nahma Sandrow.
24 January: Secrets of the London Yiddish Stage
Due to popular demand, Secrets of the London Yiddish Stage is back for one night only!
With its entertaining mix of readings from one-act plays, sketches, and songs from London’s immigrant East End, you won't want to miss this!
24 January 2024, 7:30pm
22 February: Mirele Efros by Jacob Gordin
One of the greatest hits of the Yiddish stage, Mirele Efros is called the 'Yiddish Queen Lear' for its depiction of a fierce and complex matriarch.
Featuring a company of leading British-Jewish actors, this reading will be directed by Richard Beecham, followed by an audience Q&A and Yiddish extracts directed by Tamara Micner and featuring Tamara Micner & David Schneider.
22 February 2024, 7:30pm
25 February: Yiddish Theatre Workshop - Mirele Efros
In this workshop, we will learn about Mirele Efros - one of the great Yiddish plays, known as the 'Yiddish Queen Lear'.
We will also discuss the history of Yiddish theatre in London and around the world. And we will read and act out extracts from Mirele Efros in the original Yiddish with English translation.
This workshop is suitable for people with all levels of Yiddish (including complete beginners) and all levels of theatre experience (including complete beginners)!
Note: This workshop is connected to JW3's season of Yiddish theatre, including an English reading of Mirele Efros.
25 February 2024, 1pm - 3pm
6 March: Miryeml by Tea Arciszewska
Miryeml was heralded as a powerful memorial to the million children murdered in the Holocaust. This nearly-forgotten modernist masterpiece is available in English translation for the first time.
As far as we know, the play has never been performed; hence, this will be the world-premiere! Directed by Leo Doulton, this staged reading will be performed in Sonia Gollance’s new English translation.
6 March 2024, 7:00pm
Series funded in part by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation
