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Related: About this forumNew play about Stalin's 1952 Final Solution murder of all Jewish literary figures; stars Hal Linden
It was largely forgotten history before this play, the day in 1952 when Stalin suddenly decided to murder all the eminent Jewish literati of Russia.
It reminds me of the Putin apologists, defender of Gaddafi and other extremists around now, the people who consider themselves progressive but defend dictatorships instead of admitting there is something very, very wrong happening. From the program:
was corrupt. Many of them decided it was better to hold onto this fantasy of a perfect Communist society, and
for their own political reasons keep that alive, rather than admit that Stalin had persecuted these writers for being Jews.
http://www.theoldglobe.org/_pdf/Programs/2014-15/The_Twenty_seventh_Man_Full.pdf
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2015/mar/04/theater-old-globe-stages-27th-man/#
Before the trial began in 1952, at least four Soviet Jewish writers and intellectuals died in labor camps, prisons, or firing squads.
In a Soviet prison in 1952, Stalins secret police have rounded up 26 writers, the giants of Yiddish literature in Russia. As judgment looms, a 27th suddenly appears: a teenager, unpublished and unknown. Baffled by his arrest, he and his cellmates wonder at what has brought them together and wrestle with what it means to write in troubled times. Time Out New York called The Twenty-seventh Man exquisite - as chilling and haunted as a ghost story. With The Twenty-seventh Man, Edelstein returns to the Englander play he premiered in New York and reimagines it for the Globes intimate in-the-round space, bringing us larger-than-life personalities and an unforgettable reminder of the transcendent power of storytelling.
CAST: Lowell Byers (Guard), Robert Dorfman (Vasily Korinsky), Eli Gelb (Pinchas Pelovitz), Hal Linden (Yevgeny Zunser), Ron Orbach (Moishe Bretzky), James Shanklin (Agent in Charge)
CREATIVE TEAM: Michael McGarty (Scenic Design), Katherine Roth (Costume Design), Russell H. Champa (Lighting Design), Darron L West (Sound Design), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Anjee Nero (Stage Manager)
Joe Johns
(91 posts)Stalin has been let off WAY too easily by history on the issue of anti-semitism.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)very true, but he killed so many people it is hard to keep up.
Joe Johns
(91 posts)And you're right. In fact, he never got to carry out the pogrom he was planning against the Jews he wanted to via "The Doctors' Plot," thank the gods. But Mr Dzhugashvili had much more people in general murdered under his regime than Hitler had in his. Twin freakin' psychopaths!
RBInMaine
(13,570 posts)delete_bush
(1,712 posts)at the Old Globe here in San Diego. There are 3 venues at the Old Globe - this played at my favorite, which is a 250-seat, intimate theatre in the round. We've been season ticket holders since this particular theater opened, so even more fortunate our seats are front row. Ground floor, 3 feet to the stage. One of the most incredible theater experiences around.
THIS was a very powerful play, extremely well acted (except for the actor portraying the part of the 27th man, not quite as good as I thought he should be). An added benefit, to one who was a frequent watcher of Barney Miller, it was great to see Hal Linden up close and personal - he has aged well and his performance was stellar.