Review: KING OF DOGS Commands the Stage at Beit Lessin Theatre

A crime tragedy with comic elements, a clever plot, Yiddish, Jewish identity struggles, gangsters, circus acts, singing, Leonard Cohen songs, dancing and even a puppet, all these and so much more is happening in Beit Lessin Theatre's new play, King of Dogs, directed by Irad Rubinstain.

Based on the 1916 novel Motke Ganev (Motke the Thief) by Sholem Asch, with a new stage adaptation by Yoav Shutan-Goshen and Irad Rubinstain, Motke is born to poor Jewish parents living in the Eastern European Jewish communities. As he gets older he becomes stronger and survives by using criminal means along with the help of his dog. As a part of that, he runs away from home and joins a travelling sleazy circus where he meets Mari, an aerial hoop performer in the circus and one of its prostitutes. As he falls in love with her he reaches a life changing event where in order to escape Kanrik, the circus' strongman, Motke kills him and steals his identity, allowing him to run away with Mari and build a new life. Under the name of Kanrik, Motke becomes a successful owner of a corrupt club in Warsaw while dominating the city's underworld. When he meets Hannah, the daughter of his business partner who used to own the place when it was a simple coffee shop before Motke changed it, his immoral acts decrease and he decides to give up his criminal life to win her love. Once he does so she agrees to marry him, but his past keeps haunting him and leads to his tragic end.

With such a fascinating story that includes many colourful characters it's a good thing that this production gathered great talents to its cast. Shlomi Tapiero, alternating the role of Motke along with Tom Hagi, gives a profound performance and shows a huge range of emotions while capturing the changes Motke goes through, from an elusive and rather naïve child to a dominating and tough gangster to a reestablishing man. Playing many roles, as most of the cast members do, Yuval Yanai amazes not only as the ruffian Kanrik and the amusing timid Matchmaker, but especially with how the drastic change that's required from him in order to alternate between the completely different characters doesn't prevent him from presenting both of them so well. Another impressive performance is surprisingly for the role of the dog, played by Ofri Biterman who astounds with his portrayal of the dog while controlling its puppet so brilliantly, under the instruction of the doll trainer Sharon Silver.
Speaking of the puppet, it's designed and constructed by Amira Pinkas and Marbeyad Studio in such a professional and natural way that it completely lived up to the expectations from the title of the play.

The story is told as a flashback from Motke and Hannah's wedding day. Both with the recollection and same life event this mimics Hamilton quite a bit, especially when for such an effect the set, designed by Svetlana Berger, includes a revolving stage. As for the rest of the scenic design, at first the set looks simple and minimal but with every new element presented to create the scenery it becomes more special, compound and meaningful, while helping to provide an even more authentic setting is costume designer Maor Zabar with precise and rather detailed costumes.
Despite all these successful components, this production could have easily been overdone and on the border of absurd or insane, but with Irad Rubinstain's perceptive and to the point direction the play turns out strong and precise as it should be.
Lately there have been quite a bit special productions in the Israeli theatre, but this play most certainly raises the bar with a unique and powerful presentation of an original, intriguing and rich story.

Play duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes, without an intermission.
For tickets and further information visit www.lessin.co.il or call 03-7255333 (Israel).

Photo Credit: Raday Rubinstain.

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