Wednesday, 5/7/97 ‘Schlemiel the First’ to premiere at Geffen
Playhouse Director puts new twist on Singer’s absurd, witty
musical
By Kathleen Rhames Daily Bruin Staff What do a town of fools,
some Yiddish humor and a beautiful love story have in common?
Absolutely nothing. But that’s exactly what Isaac Bashevis Singer
had in mind when he wrote his intentionally ridiculous musical
"Schlemiel the First" back in 1974. In a new adaptation, set to the
raucous strains of a Klezmer band, director/choreographer David
Gordon attempts to re-create Singer’s mythical village of Chelm at
the Geffen Playhouse through a musical revival of backwards comedy
and reunited love. "Schlemiel the First," which began previews
Tuesday, is the story of Schlemiel, the meager custodian of five
self-proclaimed wise men in the town of Chelm. The town is ridden
with fools, and is governed by the even more witless wise men.
Deciding they must spread their wisdom throughout the world, they
send Schlemiel to disperse their idiotic solutions over an
unsuspecting world. While on his journey, Schlemiel is tricked into
returning to Chelm, where he finds a town much like the one he has
just left. Thinking that there must be two identical villages and
he has found the second one, Schlemiel names himself "Schlemiel the
First." It is an inside-out tale of soul searching and newfound
love, as Schlemiel falls back in love with his wife – whom he
believes is another woman. "Even in its simplicity, it’s very
touching, very telling," says Charles Levin, who plays Gronam Ox,
the leader of the wise men. "It’s about adults falling back in love
with each other. Having a character travel around the world only to
return home to find what he’s looking for is a beautiful way to
tell a story. Only Singer could take Yiddish folklore and turn it
into Nobel laureate writing." And the writing is truly where the
comedy lies. Levin’s Gronam Ox reflects the hilariously pathetic
stupidity of the elders when he proudly proclaims, "Once I sat for
six hours thinking … Suddenly, the answer came to me!" Coupled
with a set and costumes that are as off-kilter as the characters,
Singer’s town of Chelm makes Alice’s Wonderland seem downright
ordinary. Looking at the set is like looking at a beautifully
decorated stage that has just witnessed a magnitude 8.0 earthquake.
The floor tips up and down with dizzying effects while the walls
fall dangerously inward. It is a world where actors change
characters on stage, wise men become idiots and women don long
black robes and beards. "It’s like going to a bar mitzvah and
having the Marx Brothers show up and entertain you," says Maureen
McVerry, who plays the roles of Yenta Pesha (Gronam Ox’s wife),
Sender Schlamazel (a wise elder) and Gittel (Schlemiel’s daughter).
"It’s a completely positive experience. The musical tone of it is
very universal and yet for adults, there’s this bittersweet story
that draws you in." While the story may be captivating, it is
nothing without the musical numbers. Adapted and composed by Hankus
Netsky and Zalman Mlotek, the score is performed by a Klezmer band.
Unlike most musicals which play in primarily major keys, Klezmer
music has an almost improvisational quality to it and has many
minor keys that sound unusually atonal. But it is an upbeat,
melodious sound created by a clarinet, violin, drums and a piano.
"These are 90-year-old traditional Klezmer songs that Hankus Netsky
adapted to create show tunes," Levin says. "The quality of the
music is very jazz-like. When the band gets going, they sometimes
just go off and play what they feel and go where the music takes
them. The result is very infectious." Levin has toured with
"Schlemiel the First" since it originally premiered at the Harvard
Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge in 1994. McVerry joined the tour
this past fall for its sold-out performances in San Francisco.
Audiences were enthralled by the vibrant musical numbers as well as
by the hands-on choreography of David Gordon. One song, titled
"Geography," features the wise men dancing on chairs. McVerry
recalls one performance in San Francisco where the audience stood
up and began dancing with the characters. "I would love to look out
into the audience and see the faces of people just brimming with
enjoyment," McVerry says. "This production is so different than
what you might see in a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Instead of
everybody forming a kickline and doing something by Jerome Robbins,
these dancers are doing something totally simple and yet very
inventive." David Gordon’s ability to conquer space with movement
stems from his long-spanning career as a dancer. His sense of humor
and postmodern theatrical style bring the stage to life. Nothing is
hidden from the audience. An ensemble dressing crew helps the
actors change in and out of their costumes on stage, adding
zaniness to the story. So far, audiences seem to find the effects
mesmerizing. McVerry says, "I always say that acting is the best
job, because at the end of your shift, people applaud." THEATER:
The Geffen Playhouse ends its inaugural season with "Schlemiel the
First" from May 14 to June 8. Special previews began Tuesday.
Tickets are $27.50 to $37.50, or $15 for students. Tickets are
available at the theater box office at 10886 Le Conte Ave. or by
phone. Information: 208-5454. JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin "Schlemiel
the First" is currently previewing at the Geffen Playhouse in
Westwood. JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin Charles Levin plays the wise
Gronam in "Schlemiel the First." JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin The
rascal Mendel Shmendrick (Benjamin Evett) tricks Schlemiel.
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January 26, 1996