(L to R:) Laura Lapidus (Daphna), Amos VanderPoel (Jonah), Maddie Jo Landers (Melody) and Alec Silberblatt (Liam) in Joshua Harmon’s “Bad Jews,” (Photo by T. Charles Erickson)
Review of the play Bad Jews at George Street Playhouse
Running through April 9 at the George Street Playhouse is a play that is a comedy but it covers some serious issues. Written by Joshua Harmon, Bad Jews won a number of awards when it first opened in New York. After seeing it, it comes as no surprise that it earned the New York Times Critics Pick as “THE BEST COMEDY OF THE SEASON” in October 2013 and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play as well as a John Gassner Award nomination for playwright Harmon. Bad Jews provides a forum for examination of issues important to the Jewish community such as identity and how it is changing, marriage, and after effects from the Holocaust.
Bad Jews is directed by Jessica Stone with this marking her directorial debut. The cast includes Maddie Jo Landers (Melody), Laura Lapidus (Daphna), Alec Silberblatt (Liam) and Amos VanderPoel (Jonah). The action takes place on the night after the funeral of the family patriarch called Poppy. Poppy, had strong relationships with his grandchild and it appears he has instilled in them a healthy respect for the traditions of the Jewish faith. He wore a Chai necklace around his neck which was the only material thing which he brought with him from his life before and as a prisoner in a Holocaust camp. Now the question of who will get that necklace becomes the source of conflict between the three cousins.
Initially, Daphna talks to Jonah and believes he is supporting her. She desperately wants the Chai necklace particularly since she says she is engaged to an Israeli soldier. No one in the family has met this person so there is some skepticism about this supposed engagement. When Liam enters, he introduces the woman traveling with him as the lady he has fallen in love with. This lady, Melody, is not Jewish, so that begins to ruffle Daphna’s feathers.
Even before this meeting, Daphna names Jonah a “‘bad Jew” because of his lack of involvement in rituals and lack of striving to be a part of the culture. Lively discussion follows with Liam actually proposing to Melody that evening in front of the others. His claim for the Chai necklace appears cemented with that proposal. However, the action that takes place delves into some of the questions that this play explores. The concepts of marrying out of the faith and losing the identity that Jews have had for thousands of years comes clearly into focus. The lobby of George Street Playhouse has some information about these topics such as “Among those who got married in the 1980s, four-in-ten have a non-Jewish spouse. And among Jews who got married before 1970, just 17% have a non-Jewish spouse.” Also posted is information about identity, “The study also found that children of intermarriages are less likely to be raised as Jewish than those with Jewish parents” and “but the nature of Jewish identity in today’s world in changing.”
The set design is by Charlie Corcoran with costumes by Sarah Laux. The creative team also includes lighting designer and production manager Christopher J. Bailey and sound designer Drew Levy. The production stage manager is Libby Unsworth.. Casting is by McCorkle Casting, Ltd.
About the Show:
Running Time: 90 minutes no intermission
Location: George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ
Performances: This play will run through April 9, 2017
Contact for Info and Tickets: George Street Playhouse Box Office at 732-246-7717 or visit www.GSPonline.org for tickets and information.
*theatervisit