a captivating escapade full of hilarious and surprisingly profound stories
The Wise Men of Chelm is a set of stories particularly familiar to those of Ashkenazi Jewish origin. These tell the tale of foolish men who live in an imaginary city called Chelm. These stories were a means to make light of and poke fun at those that held a degree of power, i.e. the men of the time.
Through a text-based video projected onto the wall, we learn that as the Jewish diaspora spread, both due to the pogroms and the Holocaust, these foolish men made their ways to various corners of the world. We walk now amongst their foolish descendents.
Yael Elisheva, the writer and sole performer of this production, has identified various types of new foolish men of Chelm. In a blur of costume changes, facial hair alterations, accents, and physical minutiae, Elisheva deftly embodies these men, creating a set of stories that expertly poke fun. There is the Soft Man of Chelm, the one every Jewish girl has met (he refuses to date Jewish women and is quite possibly in love with his mother), the Eager Man of Chelm (camp is the only thing that gives his life purpose), and so much more. The production is packed with exacting social commentary and important analysis of Israel’s settler colonialism.
Yael Elisheva is a phenomenally talented performer and writer. Their writing is outrageously funny and multi-faceted. As a performer, they are fearless; endless possibilities seem to exist when they are onstage. Lara Robinson’s direction gave this production the perfect amount of structure, taking 4Below at The King’s Head, a relatively intimate venue, and crafting an expansive playing space that thwarted any risk of this piece seeming to burst at the seams of the venue.
Yaya As… The Wise Men of Chelm exceeds and subverts expectations in the best way possible. Though its Camden Fringe run has now concluded, be sure to watch out for the many places it is sure to go in the future.