Last Saturday Norm and I saw a brand-new play at the Arden Theater in Philadelphia. We have a subscription there with friends, and the evening is always enjoyable; especially so when the show is as good as the Arden’s current offering.
It is an adaptation of Chaim Potok’s novel My Name Is Asher Lev. I never read the book, published in 1972, although in high school I did read and enjoy Potok’s novel The Chosen.
I was not sure how the play would be; it had only three people in it, and went 90 minutes with no interruption. We went to dinner first, and with a full stomach sometimes I have struggled to sit in the dark and stay awake during the deadly 9 to 10 p.m. hour.
As it turned out, the play is positively riveting. It takes a little time to get into; the first scene sets up the environment of a devoutly orthodox Hasidic Jewish family living in Brooklyn, and the occasional Yiddish words used take some getting used to. But after about twenty minutes I was drawn into the story about a boy born into this culture with a prodigious artistic gift. He soon clashes with his family, particularly his father, about his inclination to paint, a frivolous and unholy enterprise, rather than study, and brings anguish by copying Renaissance masters, who frequently paint crucifixions.
There are many arguments between father and son, each trying to get the other to understand their point of view. Asher's mother is caught in the middle, and suffers greatly.
Eventually the Rebbe, or leader of the sect, understands Asher’s need to pursue his vision and sends him to an artist who mentors him. Asher becomes a great artist, but never resolves the conflicts between himself, his family and his sect, and ultimately chooses to leave after the crucifixion-themed masterpiece he paints, which expresses his view of the family conflict, horrifies his community.
There is a sequel to the book, The Gift of Asher Lev, which continues the story.
The play, like the book, is a study of the conflicts between the religious and secular worlds, between artistic vision and religious faith, between father and son.
All three actors were marvelous. One actor played Asher Lev, and two other actors – identified as Man and Woman – played all of the other characters in the play; it was amazing to see their transitions from one disparate character to another, simply by walking off stage and walking back on with different clothing.
The play was commissioned by the Arden Theater and was adapted from the novel by Aaron Posner, one of the founders of the Arden.
I thought that the story showed tremendous insight into what it means to be an artist, with a need to create and express a particular vision, even when it creates unhappiness for loved ones. I would like to get and read The Gift of Asher Lev, to see how the story turns out.
Interestingly, Chaim Potok was himself an accomplished painter, and created a painting called "Brooklyn Crucifixion".
Eventually the Rebbe, or leader of the sect, understands Asher’s need to pursue his vision and sends him to an artist who mentors him. Asher becomes a great artist, but never resolves the conflicts between himself, his family and his sect, and ultimately chooses to leave after the crucifixion-themed masterpiece he paints, which expresses his view of the family conflict, horrifies his community.
There is a sequel to the book, The Gift of Asher Lev, which continues the story.
The play, like the book, is a study of the conflicts between the religious and secular worlds, between artistic vision and religious faith, between father and son.
All three actors were marvelous. One actor played Asher Lev, and two other actors – identified as Man and Woman – played all of the other characters in the play; it was amazing to see their transitions from one disparate character to another, simply by walking off stage and walking back on with different clothing.
The play was commissioned by the Arden Theater and was adapted from the novel by Aaron Posner, one of the founders of the Arden.
I thought that the story showed tremendous insight into what it means to be an artist, with a need to create and express a particular vision, even when it creates unhappiness for loved ones. I would like to get and read The Gift of Asher Lev, to see how the story turns out.
Interestingly, Chaim Potok was himself an accomplished painter, and created a painting called "Brooklyn Crucifixion".
The play is at the Arden through March 15.
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