The Dybbuk

by S. An-sky

Held by critics to be the most admired play in the history of Yiddish - and Hebrew - language theatre, "The Dybbuk" was written in 1914 by the writer and ethnographer S. An-sky. From 1920, the year of its first staging in Poland, the play has had a remarkable career in Jewish and non-Jewish theatre alike, striking audiences with its originality, its form and its message. "The Dybbuk is more than the most provocative play in Yiddish dramatic literature. A love story that begins in our world and is fulfilled in the world beyond. A covenant is made between man and God. Breaking it wakes the unseen world and avenges the one who was wronged. Between magic and the ordinary, between surrealism and the real, between the conventional and the unconventional, with turmoil shading between black and white, you happen to win or to lose your soul. Sin lies in wait at every man's door. Humanity grows ever more helpless before temptation. We should not fight sin, but make it better. Everything God has made carries within it a spark of holiness." (Chris Simion)

Script and direction: Chris Simion-Mercurian
Set design: Adina Mastalier
Costumes: Viorica Petrovici
Choreography: Ioana Marchidan
Lighting design: Ștefan Vasilescu & Ionuț Marinache
Assistant set designer: Clara Pop
Academic consultant: Felicia Waldman
Music consultant: Risha Deutsch

Leea: Alexandra Fasolă
Hanan, Hanan's Spirit: Veaceslav Grosu
The Messenger (Meshulach): Vlad Logigan / Alexandru Sinca
Rabi Azriel: Mihai Ciucă
Sender: Andrei Finți
Nahman: Nicolae Călugărița
Frade: Luana Stoica
Mendel, Rabbi Șimșin: Mircea Dragoman
Mehuel, Meer: Marius Călugărița
Leea's Spirit: Ana-Maria Ivan / Ruxandra Grecu
Manasse, Batlan: Mihai Prejban
Batlan, Wedding guest: Viorel Manole
Batlan, Wedding guest: Darius Daradici
Enoch, Wedding guest: Neculai Predica
Ușer: Nicolae Botezatu
Bașe: Anka Levana
Ghitel: Alina Tomi / Dana Rogoz
An old woman: Lucia Maier
Batlan, Wedding guest: Alexandru Sinca
Devil: Mihai Nițu / Monia Pricopi
The blind woman: Geni Brenda
The woman with the child: Viorica Bantaș
The lame woman: Cristina Cîrcei
The madwoman: Cristina Pleșa
The woman on crutches: Teodora Toader
Majghia: Mihaela Cuniță
Wedding guests: Antonio-Tadeus Mincă, Ștefan Eparu
The rabbi's pupils: Alexandru Apostol / Tudor Morar, George Lepădatu
Children: Raisa Dragomir, Miral Solcanu, Raluca Mastalier, Martin Cuniță, Tudor Toroiman, Marina Iliescu
Walk-on: Ruxandra Dragomir

With the Orchestra of the State Jewish Theatre:
Keyboards, accordion: Bogdan Lifșin
Violin: Rodica Gancea
Cello: Sergiu Marin
Clarinet: Mihai Pintenaru
Percussion: Radu Gheorghe

Genre

Drama

Language

Yiddish (with Romanian and English surtitles)

Running time

120 minutes (no interval)

Premiere