The Sorceress (Di Kishefmakherin)

See it if Breezy, enjoyable cartoon bright staging of Yiddish folk tale Well sung/performed by ensemble esp Botchan & Yashinsky as the female villains

Don't see it if Supertitles can distract from spirited antics of cast (best to glance up for plot devices) but the Yiddish soon becomes easily acceptable

See it if charming, colorful, delightful theatricals with dramatic arch villains amuse you. Don't miss this! The singing is wonderful too.

Don't see it if Reading supertitles bothers you. Or if you require even a suggestion of realistic plotting.

See it if you like a very old fashioned Yiddish musical from 1878. Nice singing and staging. Some very funny scenes. Great costumes.

Don't see it if you like a sophisticated comedy or musical. This show is delightful but it is not Noel Coward.

Also I am glad this musical was preserved. Very entertaining and nice moral to it at the end.... Read more Read less

See it if This is a wonderful children's show, if not for the need to read. Fluffy and cute, good conquers evil. Great singing and staging.

Don't see it if You don't want to have to read the subtitles. The story was very simplistic and silly, so it's not a deep night of theater.

See it if you have enjoyed previous productions by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene or if you want to see a Yiddish version of a fairy tale.

Don't see it if you don’t like reading surtitles or if you are not interested in the Yiddish musical theater. It makes up in charm what it lacks in depth.

See it if you want to experience the history of Yiddish theater. Loved the show and now can understand why it was so popular.

Don't see it if you don't like reading super titles and don't like simple, fairy tale plots - although this was more intelligent than most.

See it if A wonderful night of theater. Fantastic. Not to be missed. Bring everyone with you.

Don't see it if If you have trouble with reading subtitles.

See it if you are ready for something joyful that's well sung and well staged. You'll laugh.

Don't see it if you don't like melodramas or opererttas.

Also Cinderella meets MacBeth meets Rocky Horror, exuberant and all in Yiddish. What's not to love?... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see something that is both a very well-performed piece of theatre and simultaneously a piece of Jewish history.

Don't see it if You are going in expecting that NYTF has updated the piece to make it more palatable to modern theatre-going audiences.

Also "Those who dig a grave for someone else, fall in it themselves." -The Sorceress

NYTF's production of The Sorceress is a masterclass in elevating source material. With a fantastic orchestra, great set design, and some terrific vocal performances, The Sorceress has been successfully rescued from being a historical footnote.

The Sorceress is part of what NYTF calls the Global Restoration Initiative, a program dedicated to finding, restoring, and performing works of Yiddish theatre. It is a wonderful project and I think that The Sorceress is a great first fully realized musical to come out of this process.

The performances are great all-around. The design elements are all effective.

What the musical lacks, and this is an issue with the source material, is a protagonist who makes choices. Mirele, ostensibly our hero, has little agency. It is simply less compelling for this reason.

But it is quite wonderfully dark for a fairy tale, and I highly recommend it for younger audiences!... Read more Read less

See it if you want to enjoy a wonderful musical that has a moral ending.

Don't see it if you want a play that leaves you guessing at the end as to the outcome.

See it if you want a musical that tackles the age old story of good winning out over evil.

Don't see it if you do not like reading subtitles; however the story is relatively straightforward making it easy to understand.

See it if you enjoy a fun unique fairy tale musical in yiddish

Don't see it if you dislike shows not in english

See it if you'd like to see a fairy tale with great staging and singing - and in Yiddish!

Don't see it if you don't like reading super titles or want a deep drama.

Also It's a little silly and contrived, but how many chances do you get to see classic Yiddish folk lore? The theater and production are excellent.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in Yiddish theatre, or theatre history; you’re interested in seeing a restoration of a classic Yiddish comedy/melodrama.

Don't see it if You don’t like subtitles; don’t like operetta; prefer modern theatre.

Also This recreation of the first Yiddish Theatre production in America is a delightful journey to the past and the time of our grandparents. The plot is clichéed and corny, as one would expect; but the music is delightful, and the talented cast a pleasure to watch.... Read more Read less

See it if If you like melodramas from 1880, tale of good and evil, a historical experience but needed a few laughs , very traditional caricatures.

Don't see it if If you want a modern piece exploring serious issues this is not for you. A good recreation of a Yiddish play , the first in the US, so so.

See it if you like fairy tales; old-fashioned Yiddish musicals with subtitles; enjoyable music from that time period; simple plot with lots of energy

Don't see it if you don't like reading subtitles above the stage which requires looking up and down to understand what's happening; slow moving, simple plot

See it if You want a feel good fairy tale like play/musical. It was all in Yiddish but there is translation and it was not distracting.

Don't see it if I don't know why you would not want to see this fun play. Kids would like it too.

See it if you're happy to take yourself back to simpler times with a classic binary of good and evil, you appreciate the historical work

Don't see it if you're looking for a more complex storyline, you want a direct translation in the supertitles

See it if This is a very lively production with great music, costumes and acting. The story is engaging

Don't see it if You don't like supertitles

See it if you love operetta and some excellent legit singers!

Don't see it if dislike subtitles and/or are easily annoyed by subtle racism and sexism <- not the productions fault, it's the script.

See it if You enjoy good singing and dont mind reading sub titles

Don't see it if You don't like reading sub titles

See it if What was the 1st Yiddish musical on the LES in 1883? This researched, beautifully sung, richly staged and orchestrated piece can show you!

Don't see it if You wouldn’t enjoy English subtitles and a sentimental storyline.

Also All of the parts are beautifully cast.
Also, it’s interesting that the heroes concentrate on their own happiness while the evil doers bring about their own destruction. The heroes do not vanquish their oppressors! And the piece actually discredits the idea of “sorcery” or “magic” instead offering more reasonable explanations.... Read more Read less

See it if You like Yiddish theater, want something fun and light, want to hear catchy songs

Don't see it if You’re looking for something serious or complex

See it if colorful, interesting costumes, lots of action

Don't see it if not much emotion, shallow characters

See it if you want something that's charming, with spirited, melodic music in the vein of traditional 19th-century operetta, and brazen sentimentality

Don't see it if you can't read surtitles or aren't looking for something that won't tax your brain.

Also For an extended review, check mine out at TheaterLife.com. http://theaterlife.com/the-sorceress/... Read more Read less