Writer Elise Esther Hearst talks upcoming stage adaptation of ‘Yentl’: “As Jewish, I come to understand the world needs to see us in our full humanity”

Following the success of its initial Australian runs, the production travels to the Marylebone Theatre to celebrate its UK premiere. Guillermo Nazara chats with the show’s creator to learn how she’s manned this new adaptation of the gender-role-breaking tale.

After several Australian runs, how does it feel to be finally bringing the show to the London scene?

The show was so well received by Australian audiences, so it’s completely thrilling to be able to bring this to London. Particularly for the Kadimah Yiddish Theatre in Melbourne, who initiated the work; there is something rather miraculous about bringing this unique slice of our corner of the world to an international audience. On a personal level; it’s also incredible. I studied at the Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writers’ Programme when I was starting out as a playwright, and this will be my first production on a London stage.

What prompted you to write a stage adaptation of this story?

The original short story, written by Isaac Bashevis Singer, was brought to the Kadimah Theatre by its Artistic Director, Evelyn Krape. Evelyn, who also features in the production in the role of The Figure, had a long-held fascination and love of this unique story. Coming to it as a playwright, I was intrigued by the work, which, despite being published in 1962, felt utterly contemporary in its address of identity, gender, and desire.

The tale of Yentl has become iconic, particularly due to its film version starring Barbra Streisand. Has the popularity of its predecessors made writing this play more challenging?

Streisand’s Yentl is so iconic, and in some ways, I imagine it has been a drawcard for some audiences to want to come and see the show. However, they are quick to discover that ours is not a musical, nor is it a sanitised and glamorised Hollywood re-telling. In writing our adaptation, we needed to cast those expectations aside and return to the origins of the story, which we found to be much darker and more morally ambiguous. This presented as an exciting opportunity to delve into the grittier aspects of Yentl’s journey, which incorporated elements of Yiddish folklore and storytelling.

The original story explores many societal issues stemming from tradition and prejudice. Have you added a fresh look into them? If so, how?

Yentl is set in the late 1800’s in a small Polish shtetl, and offers a glimpse into a world in which gender roles were strictly prescripted by Jewish religious law. For women, their pathway was from childhood to motherhood. Women were expected to keep a home and raise children and it was forbidden for them to study sacred Jewish texts. Yentl finds themselves paralysed in this world; they are a body full of yearning for knowledge, and it is this desire that propels Yentl forward. In Bashevis Singer’s version, there is the acknowledgement that there are those among us who like Yentl, experience complex and fraught internal struggles. For us writers, Yentl’s struggle serves as a gateway to a world where we are not necessarily bound by the shackles of tradition or patriarchal constraints.

Why do you think these themes will still resonate with contemporary, general audiences, regardless of gender or cultural background?

At its core, Yentl is an extraordinary tale of becoming. For the character, it’s about the longing to understand oneself in a world full of binaires: good and evil, right and wrong, male and female, knowledge and ignorance. In Yentl’s quest for understanding, she must transgress, keep secrets, and engage in dangerous acts. Regardless of background, the longing to truly know oneself is universal. We all must face constraints in our own lives, whether societal, familial, or cultural. Through Yentl, audiences are allowed to indulge in imagining this reckoning with the self in the most extreme of ways. The result is a propulsive and captivating theatrical experience.

Have you incorporated any new themes into your version?

We felt it important to honour the themes of the original work and expand upon them. Bashevis Singer’s work is imbued with kabbalistic symbols, Jewish folklore, and mythology. In this production, we wanted to lean into these darker gothic elements. Yentl becomes so tormented, it’s as though as she has been possessed by a dybbuk. At the same time, The Figure character serves as Yentl’s innermost thoughts, and reveals the depths of her ‘Yetzer Hara’ – a term in Judaic teaching which refers to an evil inclination that exists within us all and prompts us to transgress.

Another distinctive feature of this show is its bilingual approach, as it combines English and Yiddish. As a writer, what is the key to keep the right balance between this level of authenticity and making it accessible to general audiences?

The bilingual nature of the production is, in my opinion, part of what makes it so special. The Yiddish language is so unique in that, even without understanding a word of it, its lyricism and expressiveness have the power to transport the audience instantly to another time and place. In this way, Yiddish serves as a rich and textured layer within the work. Interestingly, audiences from all walks of life have also remarked on how much of it felt surprisingly familiar, as so many Yiddish words and expressions have seeped into the modern-day lexicon.

What can you tell us about the play’s development process?

Part of our development process also included consultation with experts on the Kabbalah, Jewish religious life, as well as Yiddish linguists. The writing process took place during Covid, and as you would expect, involved many meetings and readings held over zoom. It wasn’t until first rehearsals that I met people who had long-been involved in the development in person, in preparation for our first run at the Art’s Centre in Melbourne.

Will the London production feature any changes in comparison to the play’s previous runs, particularly in the script?

We will be transplanting our Australian production directly into the heart of London. The only change will be to some of the casting, yet three of our original Australian cast members remain.

Why is it important to keep bringing Jewish stories to the stage?

In Judaism, we place great importance on storytelling. It is how we teach our children, how we express our greatest fears and deepest desires. It is how we honour our lineage and ancestry, and it is how we develop empathy and understanding across faiths, cultures, and peoples. As a Jewish Australian, I am living in a time where I have experienced unprecedented antisemitism. It is easy, in these circumstances, to want to disappear, or be disappeared by others. And yet, I have come to understand that now, more than ever, the world needs to hear our stories. It needs to see us in our full humanity. When we tell our stories, we invite others into our world. We create space for empathy. We build connection where there might otherwise be distance. And we offer our culture as something that can be shared, understood, and cherished by others.

Are there any highlights in the show that you’d like to flag?

There’s a line in the show – “Everyone loves a wedding – and in this story, there’s not one….not two…but three of them!” I’ll let you pick your favourite!

Why come see ‘Yentl’?

Prepare to be fully immersed in the magic of Yentl. It’s an incredible cast, beautiful set and sound, and manages to inhabit both the old worlds and the new. It explores the full breadth of human emotion, and it takes you from darkness into light and back again. It is wholly unique. Please come!

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Production pictures credit to Jeff Busby and Igor Turin.

Yentl will play at London’s Marylebone Theatre from 6 March to 12 April. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara