Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on November 5, 2014

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Riffe Center Studio Two Theatre

Through Sunday, Nov. 9

77 S. High St., Downtown

614-469-0939

catco.org

Most of us devise a way of both giving meaning to, and deriving meaning from, our experience of the world. At its root, Aaron Posners stage adaptation of Chaim Potoks novel My Name is Asher Lev contrasts two of those ways, through religion and through art.

As a Hasidic Jewish child in Brooklyn, Asher Lev (Isaac Nippert) feels compelled to draw, much to the consternation of his observant father, Aryeh (Ralph Scott), and the confusion of his conflicted mother, Rivkeh (Melissa Graves). At first, Aryeh is impressed by his sons obvious gift. But as Asher begins to steep himself in an artistic tradition that includes nudes and crucifixions, his father loses sympathy with his sons growing obsession. Aryeh, whose work for the Hasidic leader the Rebbe takes him frequently to Europe, sees Asher abandoning the vital Jewish traditions of religious studies for the trivialities of artistic expression.

Caught between husband and son, Rivkeh suffers a breakdown when her beloved brother, Yaakov, dies in an accident while doing work similar to what Aryeh does for the Rebbe, helping European Jews. She recovers stronger than ever, pursuing her education and carrying on her brothers work at the side of her husband. Graves performance as Rivkeh reflects mostly quiet and subtle strength, but she gets to show a livelier side briefly as gallery owner Anna Schaeffer.

In one of his most effective performances in memory, Scott commands the stage as the domineering and opinionated Aryeh, sure of himself and unafraid of the consequences. At the plays center, Nippert carries Asher from the little child both enthralled and puzzled by his talent to the adult who has followed his vision in spite of the suffering it causes to those he loves.

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Theatre review: My Name is Asher Lev contrasts two ways to give meaning to life

Category: Hasidic
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