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The Puppetmaster of Lodz
By Gilles Segal
Translated by Sara O’Connor
Directed by Jimmy McDermott
At Writers’ Theatre
At the Books on Vernon
664 Vernon Ave.
Glencoe, IL
Call 847-242-6000, tickets $45 - $50 - $58
Tuesdays at 7:30 pm
Wednesdays through Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 4 & 8 pm
Sundays at 2:30 & 6 pm
Running time 2 hours, 15 minutes
Through July 8, 2007
“Its understanding of how artists and we ourselves try to change actuality by creating a fictional world that tells our story as we wish it to be.”
–Rev. Tonen O’Connor translator of The Puppetmaster of Lodz
“There is no “us or “them.” It’s all we.”
“They say if you want to, you can. If you absolutely want to believe, you can always find a way.”
--Finkelbaum
Stirring world of horror played out in heart-wrenching drama
Writers’ Theatre in Glencoe has mounted a movingly powerful Holocaust survivors’ story in The Puppetmaster of Lodz. The play is a magnificent theatrical achievement featuring a tour de force performance by Larry Neumann, Jr.(one of this reporter’s favorite actors), as Finkelbaum, the puppetmaster . Mounted in the back of the Books On Vernon Bookstore, in a tiny set depicting a run-down Berlin apartment house, circa 1950 (set design by Keith Pitts), The Puppetmaster of Lodz is a beautifully written and patiently paced drama that delicately tells Finkelbaum’s story.
I was shaken to my core as Larry Neumann, Jr rendered such an honest, courageous and thoroughly human portrait of the guilt-ridden Auschwitz survivor. Neumann internalized Finklebaum’s guilt, his passion and his suspicion as he masters his fantasy puppet world which he utilizes to relive his life as he wants it to be—not as it was. Finkelbaum desperately welcomes and encourages turning into a state of pure madness to escape from his memories. This is a tremendous performance by Neumann who excels as both actor and puppetmaster.
Finkelbaum escaped from Birkenau, a subsidiary camp to Auschwitz, where he worked burning of the dead bodies from the gas chambers. He and fellow prisoner Schwartzkopf (Steve Ratcliff) bolted during the last days of World War II.
Finkelbaum made it to Berlin and, for the last five years has barricaded himself in a boarding house with the aid of The Concierge (Jennifer Avery). She repeatedly tries to convince Finkelbaum that the war is over but the cautious, almost paranoid survivor suspects that her information is a ruse to lure him out of his enclave so the Nazi’s can recapture him. In an attempt to bring back his family, Finkelbaum prepares for his greatest puppet show ever—the story of his life. Michael Montenegro’s magical puppets aptly depict the horrendous faces of the camp inmates. His manikin-styled large puppet that Finkelbaum believes is his wife seems to come to life in the hands of Larry Neumann, Jr.
Gilles Segal’s play, originally produced in Milwaukee in 1988, in a marvelous translation by Sara O’Connor, slowly weaves a tale that director Jimmy McDermott calls a fable. We feel Finkelbaum’s pain and we share his story through the puppets. The suspense builds nicely as John Hoggenmaker disguised as either a Russian or American soldier or a Hassidic Jew or a medical doctor aiding The Concierge’s attempt to convince Finkelbaum that the war is over. There is a twist here that adds drama to the play that I’ll not spoil by revealing. Let me just state that this subtle yet masterful work will penetrate deeply into your soul. We witness both the frailty and strength of the human spirit through Finkelbaum’s trauma. The Puppetmaster of Lodz is an ultimately hopeful and eminently theatrical, poignant and articulate masterpiece. The immense magnetism of live intimate staging effectively catapults us into Finklebaum’s fantasy. We are forever moved by this experience. Don’t miss this fabulous show.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2007
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