Theater Review by Walter Murphy . . .
George Tabori’s The Goldberg-Variations shifts swiftly between light and dark, serious and comical, while diffusing tension and disappointment with humor. The tone of the play’s dichotomy is set from the start with the displayed statement: “GOD IS DEAD -Nietzsche,” followed by “NIETZSCHE IS DEAD -God.” And so it begins.
The play, directed by Manfred Bormann, borrows its structure from the story behind legendary composer Johann Sebastian (JS) Bach’s famous “Goldberg Variations.” The story is that Russian ambassador Count Kaiserling, who suffered from insomnia, took his protege, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, to be taught by JS Bach. The Count asked Bach to compose pieces that Goldberg could play to ease the discomfort of his sleepless nights. Bach composed 30 pieces based on one harmonic theme and these became the “Goldberg Variations.”
In Tabori’s script, the superior and inferior hierarchy forms the basis of the characters in the play. The harmonic theme is replaced with the theme that God doesn’t always help characters in the Bible. The variations are biblical scenes that don’t end well, such as the Garden of Eden, Mount Sinai, and others. There are 20 scenes in the play with countless biblical references . . . and jokes.
Being rehearsed in Jerusalem, the action captures the creative tension of a play about to open. The director is feeling his way through the scenes, not exactly sure of what he wants, other than any of the female characters. Goldberg dutifully tries to realize the director’s at times vague visions. At one point the director announces that “Theater is dead” while directing a play. There is the usual mistrust between actors and directors (“I’m never going to work with that son of a bitch again . . . until I need him”); union rules and the sanctity of the written word in the script; and the odd belief that the theater of cruelty will drive heathens to God.
The scenes start with tales from Genesis and move through others in the New and Old Testament. The main characters are the play’s director, Mr. Jay (Dana Watkins), and the stage manager, Goldberg (Derrick Peterson).
Mr. Jay is portrayed as a theater director whose pomposity is matched only by his contempt for those under his direction. Mr. Watkins is brilliant and unrelenting without a trace of humility or compassion. Goldberg, as played by Mr. Peterson perfectly captures the willingness to work with someone as difficult as Mr. Jay while keeping his frustration under wraps while letting the audience feel his anger. The strength of their performances almost makes for a two-actor play. However, this being a Tabori play, there is comic relief to lessen the tension.
Supporting characters are Mrs. Mopp, Ernestina van Veen, Teresa Tormentina Superstar, and The Golden Calf, all wonderfully played by Alyssa Simon. Then there’s Raamah, Masch, and Japhet who doubled as actors in the play, and Jewish Hell’s Angels (Matt Walker, Jeff Burchfield, Jee Duman respectively). Mathew Seepersad was the unseen voice in the tech booth who occasionally gets lighting and music cues right. JS Bach is heard at various times. Kudos all around.
The Jewish Hell’s Angels, intended to be hell raisers, come across as early risers and afternoon dinner diners. When directed to create mayhem, they wander around the stage looking lost. Teresa Tormentina, the faux play’s sexy actress, makes the case for feminism while pointing out the irony of her journey as an actor. “I sweated six years at the (acting) Studio to learn the awful art of being me and someone else.” Tabori smoothly presents scenes with comic and serious juxtapositions.
Moses, who for some reason is portrayed with a speech impediment, rationalizes the guidance of the Ten Commandments. “Well, they are not exactly Commandments, that’s a goyishe mistranslation: they are God’s words, telling you how to be good instead of happy.”
Ms. Simon, as designer Ernestina van Veen explaining best practices of crucifixion while maintaining proper diction, was a highlight of the show. For me it captured Tabori’s skill at presenting the grotesque in such a way to show the absurdity of a subject, be it crucifixion or antisemitism.
One really needs to follow the play’s dialogue closely because it is filled with statements that go from serious to funny in a blink. And there are very serious issues presented, antisemitism a prominent theme throughout: “It’s all the fault of the Jews,” being one representative line. The play debuted in 1991. I was shocked to hear this and other antisemitic tropes and was reminded how much similar hateful speech and thought endures; it immediately brought to mind the events of Charlottesville in 2017.
It is a play of light and dark. Two sides of one idea.
The Goldberg-Variations. Through October 6 at Theater for the New City (155 First Avenue, between East Ninth and Tenth Streets). www.theaterfortthenewcity.net
Photos: Jonathan Slaff
