A HAPPY END

By Iddo Netanyahu

Iddo Netanyahu is an author, playwright and physician who lives in Jerusalem.  His books include “The Rescuers”, a collection of short stories, “Yoni's Last Battle” about the rescue at Entebbe, and “Itamar K.”, an ironic and humorous novel of life in Israel. 

“I am happy today, as any playwright would be when his work is shown in so original a manner and with such great artistry.   What a wonderful cast, directed by a master of the theater!  I certainly hope that our cooperation will continue into the future”.

I hope our cooperation will continue in future”.

An incredibly touching and troubling story about the instability and fragility of life at the time of Hitler's ascent to power… The events of the play culminate in “a happy end”, foreshadowing one of the greatest tragedies that humanity has undergone.

The mass murder of six million Jews – two thirds of European Jewry – was perpetrated by Nazi Germany in the territories it conquered during World War II.  Could the danger to the individual Jew have been seen by him early on?   This is the question that stands at the heart of the play.

27 of January was designated by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution as An    International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Special thanks for their support to:

Hillel Newman (Israel)

and Regina Gottfried (Germany)

Directed by      Nabi Abdurakhmanov

Set designers   Olga Belogujeva, Sukhrob Aliyorov

Costume designer   Vassa Vasileva

Composer and arranger   Albert Khalmurzaev

Choreographer   Anna Trenina

Video designer    Evgeniy Fuzulov

Music editor   Dilafruz Gafurova

Translated from Hebrew by   Olga and Daniel Fradkin

CAST:

Leah Erdmann        Vassa Vasileva

Mark Erdmann      Anvar Kartaev, Albert Khalmurzaev

Diter Kraft              Khasan Salikhov

Erich Erdmann      Svyatoslav Kluev, Dinis Gromakov

Martha                   Anastasiya Razumova, Diana Mindubaeva

Anna                       Kamilla Abdurakhmanova, Mariya Ivanova

Waiter                    Obid Abdurakhmanov

People from the theatre      Leyla Seid-Ogly, Maria Ivanova, Anna Marusina, Vladimir Kojanov, Sherzod   Igamnazarov, Obid Abdurakhmanov, Kamilla Abdurakhmanova, Elena Prikhodko

Musical works of the following composers are used in the show: 

R. Schumann, A. Webern, K. Weill, H. Pfitzner, A. Schoenberg, B. Goodman, as well as German songs and marches from the 20's and 30's of the 20th century. 

Reproductions of pictures and sculptures by: 

L. Afremov, H. Matisse, E. Schiele, A. Rodin, H. Bosch, F. Goya, C. Monet and others.

Lyrics by J.W. Goethe and P. Celan, performed by Fritz Stavenhagen in a recording.

Duration of the performance – 1h.50min.

“This is the first time in 10 years that I have been so impressed by a theater piece. It literally brought tears of admiration to my eyes.  It has a strikingly talented director, a theater culture of the highest order, brilliant acting, and the talent of the playwright Iddo Netanyahu.  Vassa Vasileva, playing in the lead role, deserves the highest praise.  She is, in my opinion, one of our greatest actresses.  I have not encountered in a long time so much emotion, charm and penetrating ideas.   The theme of Nazism, exposed here, is of a global nature and concerns all people”.   Professor Shukhrat Abbasov, National film director

“This is real European theatre.   The expressive force of the show is the result of the playwright's inner nobility, the precise and beautiful direction of Nabi Abdurakhmanov, the remarkable performances by the actors, the skilled use of modern visual technology, a unique way of defining the theater space, and the splendid music and costumes.  The choreography deserves special mention:  Its background compositions create a sense of the oncoming threat, so dark and merciless.  The director has succeeded in showing us the tragedy of humanity through the drama of individuals". Nina Mazur, Deputy Director, UNESCO Theatre Critics Association (Germany)

“The best show Tashkent has seen in the last decade… Its theme is of the greatest importance for the entire world.  This show proves that the art of theater exists and is alive, and will remain so forever.”Vladimir Ostrovskiy, Literary Department Chairman, Academic Russian Drama Theater of Uzbekistan

“Emotes a strong reaction from the discerning spectator… Allows us to delve deeply into its subject matter and feel the dark wave of fear and despair that envelops the characters… A unique language of theater…“      Nina Vetkasova, Noviy Vek

“I loved the mise-en-scene where a pensive Leah is running her fingers over the pearls.  She carries so much unspeakable sadness and a sense of foreboding… Vassa Vasileva is truly great. The costumes are a treat of fireworks and style, and the music score is chosen with refinement and knowledge. The gestures are perfectly chosen – a sharp turn of the hand, a flap of the eyelashes, the exact steps of the 'extras' framing the stage. But they are not 'extras' at all – they are part and parcel of all that is happening, trembling and reacting with finesse to the changes of atmosphere. The modern scenography works superbly and is very fitting here – a play of shadows bringing the unfathomable into clear view”.   Regina Gottfried, Theatre Critic (Germany)