Bad Jews: A Savagely Funny Play About Religion, Family, and Identity

 

Photo: Craig Bailey. The actors are l. to r. Allison McCartan, Victor Shopov, Gillian Mariner Gordon.

Josh Harmon’s hilarious comedy Bad Jews at Boston’s Speakeasy Theatre deals with a serious, and for many, uncomfortable issue, secularism vs. religiosity. The play pits two extreme adversaries against one other. Formidable and pious Daphna (formerly known as Diana) a senior at Vassar, with plans to move to Israel, join the Israeli army, marry an Israeli boyfriend, and become a rabbi is at odds with her cousin Liam, an aggressive and decidedly non-religious graduate student in Japanese cultural youth studies, who intends to marry his WASP girlfriend. Two other characters, Liam’s brother, Jonah, performed with sensitivity by Alex Marz, who builds his characterization around being unobtrusive, and Liam’s girlfriend Melody, peacemaking and naïve, round out the cast. Through most of the performance, the latter two appear to be the play’s losers.

Poppy, a Holocaust victim and the grandfather of Daphna, Liam, and Jonah, has recently died. Although all three grandchildren attest their love for him, Liam did not attend the funeral because he was in Aspen with Melody, which infuriates Daphna.

The conflict revolves around Poppy’s chai, a Jewish religious symbol, often a medallion, that means life. During his two years in a concentration camp, Poppy hid his chai by keeping it under his tongue. This sacrificial act has made him a hero to his grandchildren. Daphna believes that the chai is hers by right as the family’s most practicing Jewish grandchild and tries to enlist Jonah’s unwilling support. Unknown to her, Liam plans on giving it to Melody when he proposes.

The fireworks begin with the arrival of Liam and Melody. Daphna, played with tremendous verve, ferocity, and humor by Alison McCartan who bounces over the set as she attacks Liam and his seemingly pathetic girlfriend, performed by Gillian Mariner Gordon, who does the best she can with a weak role that most often serves as a plot device. Her one very funny moment is a shrill rendition of “Summertime,” given after she reveals that she was an opera major in college. All four characters are staying in Liam and Jonah’s cramped studio apartment, which contributes to the drollery. Victor Shopov’s Liam gives as good as or better than he gets in his struggle over the chai with Daphna, whom he insists on calling Diana. His viciousness against her verges on violence, disturbing Melody who is unfamiliar with this aspect of his personality. As cousins, Daphna and Liam know one another’s weaknesses and playwright Josh Harmon has given both extremely funny lines with which to twist the dagger into the other.

While the issues of assimilation and tradition are real for American Jews, Harmon takes no sides. The play ends with a reversal.

Director Rebecca Bradshaw has done a fine job with a fine cast. The pacing, blocking, and ensemble work are admirable.

Bad Jews by Josh Harmon

Director: Rebecca Bradshaw

Scenic Designer: Eric Levenson

Costume Designer: Tyler Kinney

Lighting Designer: Chris Bocchiaro’

Sound Designer: Edward Young

Fight Choreographer: Angie Jepson

Cast

Jonah: Alex Marz

Daphna: Alison McCartan

Liam: Victor Shopov

Melody: Gillian Mariner Gordon