purimspil - Linz 2009

PURIMSPIL
A Play about Survival
By David Maayan, Joshua Sobol, Ida Kelarova & Ensemble
World premiere on March 11, 2009, 7:30 PM
Additional performances: March 13-21, daily at 7:30 PM
Cembran Keller, Kellergasse 6, 4020 Linz
Please be sure to wear warm clothing and sturdy shoes!
The Jewish festival of Purim as staged by David Maayan brings merriment and rebellion to
the system of underground tunnels that make up Linz’s Cembran Keller.
Merriment and rebellion, rowdiness and gluttony, partying and blowing off steam. That’s
what the Jewish festival of Purim is all about—something akin to the way Catholics celebrate
their Mardi Gras carnivals. Wearing masks and costumes, the celebrants sometimes get a
little out of hand. Almost anything goes, and the boundaries between good and evil, day and
night, theater and reality tend to get a bit blurred. Anarchy and rebellion against authority are
de rigueur, even the driving forces behind these traditions. The holiday itself commemorates
the deliverance of the Persian Jewish community. The boisterous celebration has its roots in
outlying towns and villages, creepy inns and grungy taverns. These radical-subversive
actions have become an official cultural heritage. This year, Linz theatergoers will be able to
experience Purim up close and personal—a Yiddish version created by Joshua Sobol and
staged in Linz’s Cembran Keller. The choice of this gloomy, historical location will add
intensity and immediacy to the play’s demi-monde setting. Surrounded by large wine barrels,
the cast of this drama will celebrate Purim as it was meant to be done, thereby imparting
their exuberance and passion to the audience.
David Maayan takes the stories of the performers themselves and develops an artistic reality
for them and the audience. The constantly-present past of this place plays an essential role,
as does the fact that it is now the site of a wine cellar. Throughout the performance, the
Pressekontakt:
Mag. Pia Leydolt, Tel +43 / (0)732 / 2009-37, Fax +43 / (0)732 / 2009-43, E-mail pia.leydolt@linz09.at
Linz 2009 Kulturhauptstadt Europas OrganisationsGmbH, Gruberstr. 2, A- 4020 Linz / www.linz09.at
uncertainty about what actually took place in this network of tunnels is constantly present
subliminally.
In the first part of the play, the audience is divided up into groups and delves into the story of
a particular cast member, explores the subterranean passageways, and is immersed into an
alternative reality. In each of the stories, the tunnels represent a different world, a different
reality in time and space. The audience encounters individuals who live there, as if the war
had never ended.
In the second part, the audience reassembles and experiences the Purim tradition right up
close—a celebration of the deliverance of Persian Jewry. In accordance with tradition, the
Biblical story will be retold and all are cordially invited to join the celebration!
DAVID MAAYAN studied directing and acting. His critically acclaimed, five-hour theatrical work
ARBEIT MACHT FREI made a name for him far beyond Israel’s borders. In Austria, he’s best known
for FAMILIENTISCH, which was first staged at Schauspielhaus in cooperation with Wiener
Festwochen 2005.
For the script—which was developed at workshops together with the cast—and the translation, David
Maayan succeeded in lining up Israeli dramatist/writer JOSHUA SOBOL, who achieved international
fame in 1984 with his play GHETTO. In 1996, he created ALMA about notorious artists’ muse Alma
Mahler-Werfel. The play achieved cult status and toured worldwide.
Musical accompaniment is provided by IDA KELAROVA, the Romany songstress whose deeply
moving music was an essential part of FAMILIENTISCH. She is one of today’s foremost interpreters
of Romany music.
Information:
Cembran Keller
Tel. ++43 (0)664 828 38 60
www.linz09.at/purimspil
Pressekontakt:
Mag. Pia Leydolt, Tel +43 / (0)732 / 2009-37, Fax +43 / (0)732 / 2009-43, E-mail pia.leydolt@linz09.at
Linz 2009 Kulturhauptstadt Europas OrganisationsGmbH, Gruberstr. 2, A- 4020 Linz / www.linz09.at
CREDITS // Purimspil
Producer & director // David Maayan
Script & translation // Joshua Sobol
Composition, musical director, vocals & Romany texts // Ida Kelarova
Stage set & lighting // Hari Michlits
Costumes & props // Stephanie Lenzeder
Cast // Maxi Blaha, Rafael Goldwaser, Melita Jurisic, Daniel Keberle, David Wurawa, Yap
Sun Sun, Nick-Robin Dietrich, Aline Eydam, Felicitas Franz, Elisabeth Hütter, Lukas Müller,
Jonathan Schimmer, Julian Sigl, Serkan Temel (students in the Drama Department at Anton
Bruckner Private University)
Musical ensemble // Desiderius Dužda, Tomas Kaco, Yonatan Bar Rashi, Alexander
Shonert
Dramaturgy & transaltion // Angelika Kisser-Maayan
Acting coach // Giora Seeliger
Production // Barbara Seemann
Assistant director // Vladimir Petkovic
Technical director // Armin Steiner
Intern // Magdalena Hoisbauer
Volunteer (director) // Hila Golan
Commissioned by Linz09 in cooperation with Anton Bruckner Private University
With the friendly support of the Cembran Keller
Staff // Performing Arts Linz09
Artistic director // Airan Berg
Dramaturgy // David Tushingham
Marketing / Assistant // Barbara Hinterleitner
Technical director // Hari Michlits, Daniel Müller
Production // Nora Wolloch, Sandra Krampelhuber
Public relations // Petra Hansche
Intern // Kristina Alar
Pressekontakt:
Mag. Pia Leydolt, Tel +43 / (0)732 / 2009-37, Fax +43 / (0)732 / 2009-43, E-mail pia.leydolt@linz09.at
Linz 2009 Kulturhauptstadt Europas OrganisationsGmbH, Gruberstr. 2, A- 4020 Linz / www.linz09.at