An Over Decent Play Called Indecent

As the warm air began to fill with a cold breeze, the drops of rain hit the wooden floorboards. The dull and dark lighting began to lighten up as the lights reflected through the raindrops to create a glistening effect. These were the characteristics of a play called Indecent, where a group of Jewish actors travel through America and Europe during the early 20th century to spread the works of a writer named Sholem Asch and his play God of Vengeance which featured a love between two women which did not end so well. The play was an overall great experience, with how realistic the scenes were and the story that was being shared about a group of Jewish people before, during, and after World War II.

Indecent had many moments where the stage became very realistic and felt like a 3D movie. One moment that stood out was at the end when Rifkele dances with Manke and rain starts to drop down on the stage. When real rain started to pour down from the ceiling, it began to feel colder and made it feel as if I was in the scene with the actors as well. It made the anticipation for this rain dance scene even more exhilarating as lots of people had been waiting for this scene throughout the play. Another scene that had an impact was when the actors were reenacting God of Vengeance near the end for a small crowd. In the middle of a scene being acted out, tremendous bombs were dropping down and the vibration could be felt throughout the entire theatre. With feelings of fear and tension left from the bombs, it became more suspenseful as the audience did not know what to anticipate from the next scenes. This also connects to how Jewish people had to live in constant fear of being targeted and killed at any time in World War II.

This play provides some representation on the LGBTQ community. This is shown through the play inside the play, God of Vengeance, a love story between Rifkele and Manke. There are some parts that show their love for each other more strongly than the other, but all built up to a wholesome scene between the two at the end when they dance together. This supports the LGBTQ community because it is showing two lovers who are women. Not all people who are not straight are able to express their feelings for each other without being thought of as bad. There is a scene at the end of God of Vengeance where Rifkele’s father finds out about her relationship with another woman and shames her for not being pure. In current times, some people are still thought of as a disgrace to be impure or something other than straight. Some may say that since they do not connect to this story, it has no meaning. However, if one does not connect entirely to what is happening in the play, it still shows a different perspective on how people of the LGBTQ community were or still are being treated, which is still an important lesson.

All in all, Indecent was an amazing play where people got the chance to perhaps experience things that they have never experienced before, that ranges from the realism, the people that are being represented through the story, or even anything that was intriguing enough to have an impact on their lives. It is a great play that everyone should go to if they are able to given the chance.

Lead photo credit: The cast of Indecent. Photo by Bronwen Houck.

The TeenTix Press Corps promotes critical thinking, communication, and information literacy through criticism and journalism practice for teens. For more information about the Press Corps program see HERE.

This review was written as part of an Arts Criticism 101 workshop at Franklin High School in Ms. Geffner's 11th grade Language Arts classes, taught by Press Corps teaching artist Becs Richards.