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The “Zaftik” Yiddish theatre troupe of wonderful performers Evelyn Krape, Elisa Gray and Tomi Kalinski devised “Ek Velt - Tail End of the World”, a roller-coaster journey through the lives and histories of leading lights, actors/directors of the Australian Yiddish theatre, using a number of theatrical genres and traditions, including comedy, tragedy, song, dance and dramatic ‘recitations’.

The show was first staged, to great acclaim at the 2nd International Yiddish Theatre Festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in June 2011. “Zaftik” took the show to Montreal as “Kadimah” and Australian representatives.

The show has was re-vamped for an Australian audience, with surtitles/ supertitles in English, and was performed very successfully from the 29th February to 10th March 2012 at the Phoenix Theatre in Elwood.

The "Dovid Herman Theater" at the "Kadimah" founded in 1948 by Yankev Weislitz and Rokhl Holtzer, presented numerous highly acclaimed plays for almost 50 years. It was itself heir to a venerable Australian Yiddish theatrical tradition, tracing back to 1908.

The history and stories of the Yiddish theatre and the Dovid Herman Theatre in particular, are now the subject of an excellent book in English and Yiddish, "Wanderers and Dreamers - Tales of the David Herman Theatre" by Arnold Zable and "The History of the Dovid Herman Theatre" by Moishe Ajzenbud. It contains numerous photos and relates the engrossing story of this theatre's long season 'downunder'.

The Melbourne Yiddish (Youth) Theatre at the "Kadimah", was the successor of the long established "Dovid Herman Theater" at the "Kadimah" and forged its own style of theatrical expression.

It was founded by younger Yiddish actors in the early 1970's and has a proud history of many excellent shows, including Yiddish translations of Arthur Miller's "The Price", "The Diary of Anna Frank", Neil Simon's "The Sunshine Boys" and classics and more modern plays such as Sholem Aleichem's "200,000", Itzik Manger's "Megilleh Lider" and others.

The Melbourne Yiddish Theatre at the "Kadimah", has over the years staged popular musicals such as the wonderful concert-theatrical production "Der Nign", a tribute to the Yiddish folksongs.

This highly successful production was followed by a very much loved "Vu Ahin Zol Ikh Gein" the story of modern Jewish migration, written by Arnold Zable.

An innovative theme was represented in another theatrical - musical production, "Mazl Tov Cobbers", a collaborative piece by Alex Dafner and Leon Gettler, about the first 100 years of Jewish life in Australia. All these musicals have included many well known Yiddish songs, as well as a few lesser known songs and original creations.

More recently members of the MYT staged a highly successful "Chai Society Variety Night Concert".

The last full theatrical production of the Melbourne Yiddish Theatre at the "Kadimah" was the highly successful "Fiddler Oyfn Dakh - Fiddler On The Roof", with all songs performed in Yiddish.

For further details about the MYT please contact:- Alex Dafner :-(

adafner@primus.com.au