Leah, the Forsaken

See it if It Is for those who like stories with real historical settings and human drama.

Don't see it if You're uncomfortable with subjects of prejudice & disparaging racial/religious dialogue that is used to portray realistic historical setting

Also This is a well done classy English adaptation play based on "Deborah" by German writer Salomon Mosenthal. It is a story with true historical setting of mid 1800's Europe entrenched with intolerant attitude and inhumane policies against Jews & treat them as fearful outsiders by segregating them harshly. This sets the stage for the play.

The story involves an Austrian
young man & a Jewish girl in ill fated love destroyed by an evil teacher who instigates existing ignorant discriminations for his own end. Young man marries his kind childhood friend & is cursed by the wronged Jewish girl. Then questions of redemption play out.

Small stage cleverly turned into rural Austria with wall paintings & good lighting & sound design. Costumes design 5 stars!

Acting stellar from all but Ms. Gibson was wrongly casted for Leah. She's too robust for a starving refugee. She is overly melodramatic on a different plane while cast was realistic. She has passion but lacks femininity to elicit tears.... Read more Read less

See it if you like a well-acted drama in an intimate space.

Don't see it if you want a light, entertaining show.

See it if You want to see how melodrama of the 19c may have looked and sounded; and you relish diva roles (Bernhardt and many others took on Leah)

Don't see it if You can't get past the very big acting style of high melodrama. Or you feel nauseous at seeing Austrian anti-semitism enacted.

Also This piece evokes a NYC of the Draft Riots, on the brink of Civil War, when bigots & anti-immigrant racists were running wild, and black people were being murdered in the streets. Reviewers point out its timeliness in an age of Bannon/Trump, but I also felt its message (which passed for broad-mindedness in 1862) is that Jews are human as long as they model their saintliness on Christly Gentiles, and reject their anger, their desires and their own people. Very disturbing play.... Read more Read less