A Jewish Festival in Theatrical Form
Copyright: Nick Mangafas
The Jewish festival of Purim is an occasion for boisterousness, merriment and rebellion. The festivities resemble the Catholic Mardi Gras celebration. Now, a play by dramatist Joshua Sobol produced by David Maayan is bringing Purim to Linz’s Cembran Keller.
The Old Testament Book of Esther reports that Minister Haman convinced the king to have all the Jews killed. Esther, the king’s Jewish wife, used her shrewdness to foil the minister’s plans and bring about his own downfall. The Jews put up resistance against all those who tried to carry out Haman’s orders and succeeded in defending themselves. The Purim festival, with its costumes, gifts and typical foods, is an expression of joy at the Jews’ rescue. On Purim, it’s permitted to get drunk and party exuberantly. Purim is a time for insubordination; rebellion and subversion are inherent in its meaning. The festival’s nature as an occasion for activities beyond the realm of sober behavior and clear-cut rules is brought out by the play’s setting in Linz’s historic Cembran Keller amongst giant wine barrels stored in shadowy subterranean tunnels and vaults.
Purimspil
March 11, 2009 (premiere), March 13-21, 2009, 7:30 PM
Cembran Keller, Kellergasse 6, 4020 Linz
Discount admission of €9 for holders of the Linz09 Insider and Linz09 Card.
Ticket Hotline: +43(0)664 / 828 38 60 (Mon-Fri 1-6 PM, Sat 10 AM-1 PM)
