Yiddish theatre fest ‘means a lot’

By Julia Gerke

The Segal Centre last week kicked off the first ever Montreal International Yiddish Theatre Festival in style.

Artists and theatre professionals from around the world got to mingle at a meet-and-greet with the media before last Wednesday’s opening gala. In an emotional address to the crowd, the Segal’s artistic director Bryna Wasserman talked about her personal feelings concerning the festival, which also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Montreal Yiddish Theatre group founded by her late mother Dora Wasserman.

“The person who should be standing here is, of course, Dora,” she said, blinking back tears. “But maybe she is here, in this room… Tonight marks the celebration of the past, but also we’re looking towards the future.”

The visitors may all have different nationalities and backgrounds, but they had two things in common: the Yiddish language and their love for theatre.

“It is very touching,” said Anat Atzmon, an Israeli actress who brought her one-woman show to Montreal. “It’s amazing to see so many different people from different countries speak the same language. I’m from Israel, so I don’t think about it every day, but to see it here is really exciting.”

Hailing all the way from Australia, Alex Dafner’s only regret was that his country’s delegation couldn’t include more than two people.

“In Australia, it’s the busiest time of the year right now because we’re upside down,” he said. “I wish it was different because this is such a historically and sentimentally important event. It’s the first such festival and it’s mind-blowing.”

Dafner presented a performance and presentation on Australian theatre on Wednesday, June 24.

“It’s an audiovisual talk about Yiddish theatre, which is over 100 years old,” he explained.

The festival, which ends today (June 25), offered a lively combination of theatre presentations, films, concerts, educational activities and other events centred on Yiddish culture and theatre. The remaining theatre production is the Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre’s presentation of Those Were the Days (June 25) followed by a closing ceremony.
For more information, go to www.yiddishtheatre.org or call 514-739-7944.