Di shvegerins (Les Belles-sœurs): A Yiddish Theatre Workshop

Make your début on the Yiddish stage! In this participatory workshop, held in Yiddish, we will learn about the history of Yiddish theatre and, as they say, put some scenes “on their feet” (act them out).

We will look at the revival of Di shvegerins (Les Belles-sœurs), a Yiddish translation by Goldie Morgentaler (with Pierre Anctil) of the seminal '60s québécois play by Michel Tremblay, recently re-staged at Montreal's Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre. The play explores the Quiet Revolution and the then-growing feminist movement from the perspectives of an intergenerational group of Catholic, francophone women (speaking in Yiddish translation!).

Led by Yiddish teacher & theatre artist Tamara Micner, we will speak about the history of Yiddish theatre, read excerpts of Di shvegerins, and then act out a couple of scenes as a group. The aims will be to use and improve our Yiddish; learn about Yiddish theatre past & present; explore themes of feminism, class, age and social change; and have fun bringing a play to life.

Thursday, November 12^th from 6-9pm

Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture

6184 Ash Street, Vancouver

➤   How to Get Here / Building & Accessibility Information

Free street parking and underground parking available (elevator access).

This workshop is offered for Yiddish language learners who want to improve their comfort in speaking Yiddish or are already comfortable speaking. Participants can request transliterated scripts in advance via the registration form.

Registration is required in advance, with limited spots available. The standard fee for this program is $35 per person; no one will be turned away for lack of funds. To request financial assistance, please contact admin@peretz-centre.org.

Tamara Micner is an award-winning Yiddish educator, playwright, and performer based in London, UK (though she is originally a local!). In addition to teaching Yiddish/Yiddish theatre at the University of Cambridge, Workers' Circle, Paris Yiddish Centre Summer University, Yiddish Summer Weimar, and elsewhere, she co-founded and co-leads London's first Yiddish theatre company in decades (Di londoner shpilers/The London Yiddish Players).

Her current theatre projects include the saucy, queer Yiddish panto Yankl and the Beanstalk (set in the radical Jewish East End of yore and featuring Yiddishised pop songs, a workers’ strike and Pickle Fairy) and Moyre's geburtstog, and past plays include Old Friends, Holocaust Brunch, and What You're Missing.

Image credit: Poster for Di Shvegerins, a Segal Centre presentation of a Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre production of Les Belles-sœurs by Michel Tremblay, Yiddish translation by Goldie Morgentaler, in collaboration with Pierre Anctil.