Posted by Jacqui Bonner | 23/10/2013
From Door to Door – A play by James Sherman
FROM DOOR TO DOOR by James Sherman
The theatrette at the Sydney Jewish Museum
November 12 – 24
For 2 weeks in November something special and entirely different is happening at the Sydney Jewish Museum.
From Tuesday 12th – Sunday 24th we invite you to come and explore some of the Museum’s amazing displays, wander through the current exhibition Dressing Sydney and then make your way down to the auditorium which has been converted into an intimate theatre setting to watch a professional production of James Sherman’s ‘From Door to Door’ all in the same evening!
‘From Door to Door’ has played to thousands of people around the world. It follows the lives of three generations of Jewish women in America- Bessie, the grandmother, Mary the mother and Deborah the daughter – over a period of approximately 70 years beginning in the 1930’s.
Between 1880 and 1920, 1.8 million Jews escaped from Russia and the anti-semitic pogroms to start new lives in America. One of those seeking refuge from the pain and suffering endured during those pogroms was Sholem Aleichem, the world’s most famous Yiddish writer. He arrived in New York in 1906. His stories of life in the rustic shtetls of Eastern Europe, particularly those about Tevye the milkman were the basis for the story of Fiddler on the Roof. Bessie’s life, the grandmother in Sherman’s play, follows a similar path. She, however, does not talk about the effects of her past until seeing a production of Fiddler on the Roof. This turns out to be a cathartic moment for her and her family.
The narrative of the lives of the other two characters move into the Post WW11 era — a challenging and exciting period of innovation, transformation and turbulence that revolutionized most aspects of life in America and around the world. Most important for the context of Sherman’s play was the impact of the struggle of the Women’s Liberation movement which came to a head in the 1960’s. By 1968 freedoms for women had become their right although there was still much to be achieved, and the movement continued throughout the following decades.
Through its witty and emotional dialogue ‘From Door to Door’ delves into the social, religious and cultural mores of the times. Its a funny, light-hearted story, with a core that is deep and poignant. We hope you enjoy it.
“The plays of James Sherman have heart and skill. And they touch us with their gentle, tried and true sentiment.” – The Chicago Tribune
From Door to Door by James Sherman
The theatrette at the Sydney Jewish Museum
Tues 12 Nov – Sun 24 Nov 2013
Mon. Tues, Wed, Thurs 7pm
Sun – 2.00pm and 5.30pm
Bookings – 02 9337 6950 or online here