Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on August 7, 2021

Tom Stoppards sweeping drama Leopoldstadt, which draws on his own Jewish background, is set to return to the West End this week.

The Olivier Award-winning play received critical acclaim after it opened in early 2020, playing seven weeks of sold-out performances before closing during lockdown. It reopens at Wyndhams Theatre this weekend and rusn until the end of October.

In the early 1900s, Leopoldstadt was the old, crowded Jewish quarter of Vienna, but times have moved on for manufacturer Hermann Merz, a baptised Jew married to a Catholic woman, Gretl, and they now live ina more fashionable part of the city.

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Assimilated and ambitious to become members of the social elite, the Merz family look upon this era with optimism and opportunity.

Tom Stoppard

However, by the time Stoppards sweeping drama has come to its conclusion, Austria has borne the scars of war, revolution, impoverishment, annexation by Nazi Germany and for the countrys Jewish community the murder of 65,000 of them during the Holocaust.

Directed by Patrick Marber, the play features Cara Ballingall, Arty Froushan, Aidan McArdle and Macy Nyman alongside original cast members Sebastian Armesto, Jenna Augen, Rhys Bailey and Faye Castelow.

Leopoldstadt plays at Wyndhams Theatre from 7 August to 30 October, http://www.leopoldstadtplay.com

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Leopoldstadt set to return to the West End this week - Jewish News

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