A New Production of Yentl Explores Feminism, Gender Fluidity, Bisexuality & Love

The long line of formidable Australian creations in Sydney theatre this year continues with the opening of Yentl at the Opera House Playhouse for a limited season.

Though a modern interpretation by Melbourne based writer/director Gary Abrahams, it remains formally rooted in Isaac Bashevis Singer’s 1963 short story ,Yentl the Yeshiva Boy.

Abraham’s intention was to re-examine the original Yiddish text carefully and give them the freedom to explore the concepts of feminism, gender fluidity, bi-sexuality and love contained in the book and look at them again through a 21st century lens.

The story arc concerns an intelligent young girl Yentl  (Amy Hack) growing up with her recently widowed rabbi father (Evelyn Krape) who expresses a desire to learn the Scriptures, just like the boys and men at the yeshiva (religious school).

The father acquiesces to Yentl desires for knowledge and against all laws and surreptitiously begins teaching her the beauty and complexity of the various religious books.

After he dies Yentl assumes the identity of a boy, and crossing a river on the journey, symbolising God’s life-giving presence, she arrives at a near-by town where she/he as Anshel astounds the class with their knowledge and debating ability.

Yentl’s journey is also accounted by Evelyn Krape’s brilliant performance of a Greek chorus of one as a yeytser ho’re, an introduced figure who narrates while guiding Yentl with various tricks, doubts, confusion and enabling.

Paired with another young scholar, Avigdor (Nicholas Jaquinot), who eventually tells Anshel of a betrothal to Hodes (Genevieve Kingsford), which ended when her parents return the marriage contract.

Avigdor has the idea that Anshel should take his place with Hodes but after a night of drinking finds himself desiring Anshel.

Anshel eventually meets Hodes and they soon find themselves married, against Anshel’s initial reluctance and Hodes’ conservative religious and cultural views.

This furthers Anshel transgressions as he/she performs a ritualistic act of love-making on the wedding night.

This becomes the part of the play where the discourses on love and identity come to the fore and we are on tender-hooks as how the various situations are going to be resolved.

Gary Abrahams, and co-writers Galit Klas and Elise Hearst have truncated a story of epic scope as we cover Yentl’s transformation and transgressions across two locations and a short time-frame.

The new text is fast, witty and modern and does not shy away from exposing the often over-looked sub text of the original book and 1975 play.

In directing Abrahams shows a command of the subject matter without it becoming prosaic, while always respecting and loving his characters, whatever their foibles are.

As Yentl/Anshel Hack is riveting as she transforms from an inquisitive young girls to a formidable and complex younger person who is capable of displays of considerable intelligence and moral discourse while also being the source of deceptions and transgressions.

Nicholas Jaquinot is a likeable Avigdor with whom we can empathise even when his character is being gormless.

Evelyn Krape is physically agile and multi-faceted as Yentl’s father and as The Figure, who guides Yentl and us through the many twists and turns of the story.

As the love interest and hapless bride, Genevieve Kingsford’s Hodes displays the beguiling beauty of someone worthy of such attention while also displaying a fragility in her character, even though she holds the most conservative views in the play.

Dan Barber’s German Expressionistic set of double-sided flats serves brilliantly as a backdrop for Yentl’s first home and later the yeshivah, while serving as a surface for Rachel Burke’s sepia toned lighting.

Max Lyandvert has held back with music and sound design which helps to make it more dramatic when it is introduced for weddings and drinking sessions.

On Yentl’s opening night in Sydney the audience, whether Jewish, Goy, straight, bi, gay lesbian or transgender rose as one to their feet for a standing ovation, showing that this Yiddish tale has broad appeal.

Yentl opens from 17 October 2024 at Sydney Opera House’s Playhouse. Tickets can be booked here.