Leah, the Forsaken

See it if For the solid acting, great sets and costumes. There's never a dull moment in this melodrama but ....

Don't see it if The Jews in this play make the Merchant of Venice look like a sympathetic character. Maybe this was considered forward thinking in its day?

Also Two Jewish characters who are both willing to turn their backs on their religion - one for riches, one for the love of a guy she just met. Hmmm. The play's very evil villain is Jewish and the only other Jewish character is kind of Fatal Attraction scary. The two young Christian leads are beyond perfect - a young, attractive Mother Theresa and Gandhi style couple. Hmm. This is an indictment of anti-semitism?... Read more Read less

See it if You are comfortable with dated themes and serious melodrama or if you like Shakespearean type misadventures

Don't see it if You are looking for a romp ( this is way too serious for that ) or if you get irritated with moralizing

Also The play challenges antisemitism and plot involves violent prejudice pointed at Jews. My companion was offended by what she saw as baked in Jewish stereotypes & patronizing self righteousness voiced by some of the Christian characters. I saw this differently and thought that the playwright was mocking some of the fickle and self-satisfied Christian characters.

Although the play is quite dated the theme of fear of the stranger certainly resonates in today's political environment. I think the production would have been stronger and more entertaining if the company had taken more liberties & made a critique of Trumpism explicit.

I very much enjoyed the zeal that the lead brought to her insanely melodramatic role but my companion found her performance annoying and distracting.

Overall the play is a bit long, in part because the plot requires a lot of set up so that we can understand the various characters entanglements and motivations.

The large ensemble cast keeps it moving... Read more Read less

See it if interested in an historic 1862 American theatre curiosity and in an unsettling evocation of bigotry which resonates w/current events.

Don't see it if tough stuff to make the overheated melodrama convincing and neither the director nor several of the leads were up to it.