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WHERE
AND WHEN:
With "Mr. M," Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre performs the first American stage adaptation of "Mr. Theodore Mundstock," a story of the triumph of the human spirit by Ladislav Fuks, a postwar Czech writer of psychological fiction who achieved instant fame with that book, his debut novel. The drama, written and directed by Vit Horejs, is the latest in the company's "zivacek" plays, in which the cast is visible to the audience whether performing with or without puppets. ("Zivacek," which literally means "living," is the Czech expression for visible actors who act with puppets.)
The story is set in 1942 Prague, Germans occupy the country, and Jews await the dreaded summons to the concentration camps. Mr. M is an ordinary man trying to prepare for an unimaginable fate. Each day his panic mounts, goading him to the brink of insanity. To calm himself, he resolves to prepare carefully, simulating the camp environment in his tiny apartment, learning to sleep on a wooden board, hardening his mind against insults and strengthening his muscles against hard labor. The preparations bring on a sudden calm and with pride, almost joy in anticipation, he dedicates himself to helping his friends who might share the same fate. Where there is humor in the play, it's "Terezin humor," an expression connotating the dark humor that Czech Jews adopted in their cabaret at Theresienstadt concentration camp.
Author Ladislav Fuks came of age during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia and ultimately wrote about it in his stories and novels. "Mr. Theodore Mundstock" ("Pan Theodor Mundstock"), initially published in 1963, was his first novel and made him famous almost overnight. The American version, translated by Iris Urwin and issued by Orion Press in 1968, introduced English speaking readers to a novel as rich and eccentric as anything by Fuks' fellow countryman, Franz Kafka. The novel is being interpreted for the stage by Vit Horejs, Artistic Director of Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre, who has been haunted by the story since his 1970s student days in Prague. The production has been presented by Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., April 14 to May 1. It moves to JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Avenue, May 5-8.
WHAT
ARE THEY SAYING?
The play offers delightful entertainment while at the same time packing a powerful emotional punch....Mr. M slips between being a realistic play about Mr. M’s encounters with the fellow members of his small Jewish community and an expressionistic tale told from the perspective of Mr. M’s overactive mind. These two threads are balanced ingeniously. Every element of the play works to keep the line between reality and fiction blurred, but only just enough to make clear how the two worlds rely on each other for their existence....How do we portray suffering? Mr. M offers us one model....All in all, this is an incredibly special piece of theater....This play, with all its use of elements that are often labeled as “alienating,” puts a very human face on the experience of the Holocaust. Mr. M performs for us, begging us to bear witness, and we should. --Kelly Aliano, Off-off Online
In its evocation of "Terezin humor"--the grim recognition that if we didn’t laugh, we'd hang ourselves --"Mr. M," by the Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre, is both the same as, and unlike, every other Holocaust play you’ve ever seen. The play...draws on familiar themes, but does so in an altogether original way. It is performed in the "zivacek" style of Czech theatre, in which the cast, some of whom work with puppets, nonetheless remain visible throughout. In practice, the technique gives the story a beautifully layered feel, in which each object holds the potential to be several things at once. -- Jenny Hendrix, "The Arty Semite," The Jewish Daily Forward (Mr. M's) staunch dedication to optimistic humor despite perching on the edge of a very dark precipice is indeed heartbreaking, and his half-Woody Allen, half-Buster Keaton antics can't help but be a bit persuasive, despite always knowing the inevitable outcome. Endlessly showcasing sleights-of-hand and little physical gags, ready to delight his German "audience" when they come to collect him, this fantasy world in which Mr. M resides is beautiful in its simplicity. If only humor could win out as Mr. M unabashedly believes it can, if only a joke could disarm more than just a frown. -- Rachel Merrill Moss, NYtheatre.com
Absurdly funny and tragic....The play subject may be painful, but it is tackled in a unique way, utilizing shadow puppetry, marionettes, and exquisite music and singing. It is enjoyably entertaining while at the same time it packs a powerful emotional punch....It is written and directed and delightfully performed by the strong ensemble. Michelle Beshaw’s design of moving objects within Mr. M.’s world is splendid as are her costumes. --Albert Littlemark, New York NY (Reader's Review, New York Times) Compelling, poignant, thought provoking and memorable performance by seasoned cast. Evocative music set background for excellent performance. --Carolyn Ratcliffe, New York City (Reader's Review, New York Times) Production photos are by Lee Wexler.
ALSO
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