Prague, 1912 (the Savoy Cafe Yiddish Theatre)
About the show
Theater for the New City presents this comedy based on historic personalities of the Yiddish Theater. More…
A vagabond acting company comes to Prague: it's Jak Lowy and his leading lady, Mme. Trassik. Lowy is a veteran actor who has put stars in her eyes and the two are lovers. When they act together, it's magic, but their repertoire is in shambles. They subsist more by selling baked sweet potatoes than by selling tickets to their unconventional versions of classic plays. What emerges is a backstage comedy of their love-hate relationship and their entrapment of a sympathetic local writer named Gregor Samsa.
"A backstage comedy that leaves us laughing frequently, over the course of the night. While this play takes place a century ago, much of its humor is still relatable to those of us who’ve been in theatre...The play is wonderfully staged, in a way that gives the actors the opportunity to shine and display their comedic talents...The main highlight of the production is the three lead actors who bring the play to life in such a lively and animated fashion." Full Review
“Come see this show for a few hours of fine-tuned ecstasy...The view of Yiddish theater given here is one that accesses whole other worlds of sentimentality and power...I am motivated to read more of Lu Hauser’s work, and likely many people will be opening up volumes of Kafka. The show has an experimental edge. It brings together several interesting pieces by its author, and borrows the cadence of the very influential Yiddish performers." Full Review
“‘Prague, 1912 (The Savoy Café Yiddish Theater)’ desperately needs a rewrite, but alas, the author, Lu Hauser, died six years ago. Billed as a ‘backstage comedy,’ it is not the least bit funny. It does not reveal anything about backstage life except that the actors appear to be starving. Nothing is learned about the Yiddish theater except that in 1912 they were still performing scenes from the classics, not contemporary works.” Full Review
See it if You enjoy historical recreations, seeing varied acting techniques in a beautiful period setting.
Don't see it if You want a cohesive story, melodrama gets on your nerves, you have a history with Frank Kafka, you don’t like period pieces or Jewish angst.
See it if Overacting doesn't bother you, It was presented without a difference between the " real " and the "stage" on a "stage" characters.
Don't see it if If you want to see play that makes sense without having to read what it's all about. A group of us left scratching our heads in confusion.
See it if Like me, you have interest and nostalgia for that time and place in theater history.
Don't see it if You want a meaningful exploration of the rich world that is barely evoked by this very messy and inept effort.
See it if strange story about backstage goings on
Don't see it if not at all funny
See it if You kind of want to be amused, but don't really want to get anything out of the show you're seeing.
Don't see it if You want to see an absorbing, clever piece of theatre
See it if I expected Yiddush Theater and this was anything but. There was no charm, it was depressing and even the lighter scenes were dark.
Don't see it if you're interested in charming Yiddush theater. You will be dissapointed.
Also This was a letdown of a show. The story jumped around, it was very cli... Read more Read less
See it if you're cool with a WTF evening of "I have no freaking idea what I just saw was about", yet can laugh about it later. Can't blame the actors.
Don't see it if ... just don't. I get that era & its style, & how different it is from today's style. That's not the issue. Prague is just a huge WTF mess.
Also The cornet player was excellent. That's all, folks.... Read more Read less
See it if you are out in the cold and need a warm spot and all the coffee shops are closed. If you can make more senses out of it than I did
Don't see it if You feel that paying $5 is still too much.
See it if you want to see every NYC show. Otherwise, there are much better ones. I learned nothing about 1912/Prague/Yiddish theater/the actors this
Don't see it if show was based on. Script was painfully amateurish. Neither actors nor director were good. Trumpet was best part. I left half-way through.
Also New York City, 2017 is not the place for Prague, 1912.
See it if you're a friend or family of the cast/crew and are consequently obligated to see it
Don't see it if you expect to learn anything about Kafka's involvement with the Yiddish theater or to even be able to tell that's what it's loosely based on
Also The best thing about this play was that it was only an hour and fiftee... Read more Read less
See it if The question "What if Kafka wrote a play drawing on his work?" intrigues you
Don't see it if You really want to see something about Yiddish theater, or a play with a plot you can follow
See it if You have nothing else to do.
Don't see it if You enjoy good theater!
See it if if you like to be agonized by a silly insipid show that allegedly has something to do with historic personalities of the Yiddish Theater.
Don't see it if if you have any standards.The show does not have anything to do with the Yiddish Theater and provides you with an excruciating experience.
Also The show is a clear example of bait and switch. The show is amateurish... Read more Read less
Cast & Creatives (9)
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