Gimpel the Fool

Nephesh Theatre—The Playhouse Studio

This simplistic story based on Jewish folk lore was a very cute show. The main character is treated so bad by his neighbours you spend the entire play just begging for anything to go right for the guy. Gimpel is considered rather dull and foolish by everyone in his town. For fun they tease him and make him do silly things just because he can. Gimpel knows that to be good and foolish is better than to be smart and evil, but can he take the humiliation forever. There are lessons to be learned about how we treat each other here. While lessons are to be learned, there isn’t much deep digging required for this bare bones plot. There is no depth or great character redemption. The idea of good versus evil is brought up but never really resolved. The story was quiet and safe but unfortunately not much more than that.

Kaitlyn Kriss