The principal form of Yiddish popular theater began in Europe in the 16th century with the festive Purimshpiel (Purim play). The productions involved acrobatics, clowning, dancing, and music. In the 1800's Jewish students of the Enlightnment took to the theater to propagate social and political issues. In order to reach Jews from all walks of life they had to speak in their language. So Jewish writers began to write plays in Yiddish which was the common language while Hebrew remained the language of prayer. Kafka, among other writers of the period, has extensive descriptions of the Yiddish theater of Prague in his diaries.
Yiddish theater soon became a major cultural event, both in Eastern Europe as well as in America. New York alone had over 50 Yiddish theaters fiercely competing with each other. However, between the two wars Yiddish theater audiences declined.
One of the important figures of Yiddish theater was Moyshe Broderson, a friend of Marek in Lodz. He founded a popular troupe and wrote numerous plays... many of which were lost in the two wolrd wars. Marek worked for Broderson's theater, designing props and costumes. He kept his portfolios of sketches and notes, thus preserving a rare testimony of an important part of Yiddish culture.
8 pastels of various sizes (32 x 24cm to 36 x 28 cm), available for purchase as a set only. Click on any image for a close-up.
