Stay in the Loop
BSR publishes on a weekly schedule, with an email newsletter every Wednesday and Thursday morning. There’s no paywall, and subscribing is always free.
Layered narratives
Theatre Ariel presents Maya Arad Yasur’s Amsterdam
Theatre Ariel’s first fully-mounted mainstage production in 15 years, Maya Arad Yasur's Amsterdam, is a beguiling and ambitious play that boldly explores the unknowability of history and the effort to make sense of fragmented narratives. Anchored by a strong cast and inventive direction, Amsterdam signals a dramatic return for the company to the Philadelphia theater scene.
Past dues
The play follows an Israeli violinist living in Amsterdam who receives a mysterious gas bill from the 1940s, triggering a cascade of questions about history, identity, and responsibility. Four actors (Keith J. Conallen, Taylor Congdon, Kishia Nixon, and Adam Pelta-Pauls) serve as narrators, performers, and interpreters, weaving and debating the story with impressive chemistry and clarity. The layered narrative intentionally confounds, underscoring Yasur's central thesis: that bearing witness to the past is an act of imagination, piecing together stories to approach a truth that may never be fully known.
The production excels when focusing on its climactic revelations about the Dutch resistance during the Holocaust. The staggering statistic that 75% of Dutch-Jewish people perished during the Holocaust lends gravity to the story, and Yasur’s script thoughtfully excavates a lesser-known history with nuance and power. The slow build to its shocking conclusion is gripping and expertly realized.
Bridging the gap
However, Amsterdam stumbles when it attempts to bridge its historical narrative with contemporary issues. Yasur’s script, brimming with questions and tangents, can feel unwieldy, especially when linking the protagonist's story to modern Israeli-Palestinian tensions. While written in 2018, these moments feel underdeveloped and jarring in the broader context of the play and our current moment, undermining its otherwise poignant examination of historical memory.
Director Jesse Bernstein keeps the production moving fluidly, avoiding potential narrative tedium through deft pacing and staging. The ensemble’s playful energy and commitment bring lightness to a story that could otherwise feel heavy, while Andrew Thompson’s evocative set design and J. Dominic Chacon’s stunning lighting enhance the atmosphere, drawing audiences deeper into the story’s layered complexities.
Following each performance, a post-show conversation invites audiences to unpack the play’s themes, a testament to how much the production leaves to ponder. Bernstein writes that Amsterdam is Theatre Ariel’s way of “announcing themselves in a dramatic way,” and indeed, the company’s return is a welcome addition to Philadelphia’s theater community.
What, When, Where
Amsterdam. By Maya Arad Yasur, directed by Jesse Bernstein. $36. Through November 24, 2024, at Christ Church Neighborhood House, 20 N American Street, Philadelphia. (610) 667-9230 or theatreariel.org.
Accessibility
Christ Church Neighborhood House is a wheelchair-accessible venue, but the cobblestones outside the entrance may be difficult to navigate. There is a ramp over the curb at the entrance.
Because of Shabbat, Theatre Ariel will not do monetary transactions on Friday nights (i.e., selling tickets at the door).
Sign up for our newsletter
All of the week's new articles, all in one place. Sign up for the free weekly BSR newsletters, and don't miss a conversation.