Origins of the
Yiddish Theatre
1930
Miskolc, Hungary
Dem Purim Shpiele
Seated right, with beard and
striped headdress is Jeno Rosenthal, acting as Jacob. Standing on
the far right is Bela Rosenthal, playing the part of Shimon.
It is said
that Yiddish theatre, written and performed for the most part by
Jews, originated in the various traditional Purim plays. These
satirical plays were generally derived from the biblical Book of
Esther, though this particular Purim Shpiele, whose cast of
characters is pictured below, had to do with Joseph being sold into
slavery by his brothers to Ismael. Often, the subject of a Purim
Shpiele was topical. These plays, usually performed by amateurs,
were presented in various European countries in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries. Often these plays were performed in synagogue
courtyards and involved not just the cast members but some within
the synagogue's congregation as well.
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