YENTL

Marylebone Theatre

★★★★

“Amy Hack’s Yentl is superb, expertly capturing the tension between self-determination and destruction, outwardly uncertain yet inwardly blazing”

Fresh from its award winning Sydney Opera House run, ‘Yentl’ lands in London with a bang. Worlds away from the Streisand musical, this new bilingual adaptation delivers a gritty, layered and fiercely human take on Isaac Bashevis Singer’s original story of identity, desire and moral conflict.

Yentl yearns to study the Torah, forbidden for Jewish women like her. Her father recognises her true soul and secretly teaches her. When he dies, Yentl can’t bear to give it up, choosing to live as a man (Anshl), joining a ‘yeshiva’ (school for men’s religious study) and bonding with study partner, Avigdor. But as the deceptions compound, how long can Yentl protect her authentic self – and who will she hurt along the way?

Co writers Gary Abrahams, Elise Hearst and Galit Klas craft a powerful story about the age-old tension between freedom and destruction, embracing the morally ambiguous mire Singer originally intended. Steeped in Jewish culture yet asking universal questions about identity, queerness, learning and belonging, the text brims with biblical allusions, vivid imagery and fraught choices mirroring inner struggle. Kadimah Yiddish Theatre’s extended Yiddish passages, surtitled in English, give the piece the pulse of Singer’s language, while well judged humour cuts through the intensity. Focusing the drama on Yentl/Anshel, Avigdor and Hodes, with a shape shifting fourth role, sharpens the emotional stakes and deepens the commentary. That said, the overly long prologue stalls momentum, and the epilogue’s initial reinvention of Yentl risks confusion, but overall this is a strong, compelling adaptation.

Gary Abrahams’ direction digs straight into the grit and dualism of Singer’s world, inviting us to confront our own hidden selves. The mischievous Figure cleverly embodies shifting dualities, though the role could push further – clearer character transitions and a bolder presence would drive the narrative and heighten the otherworldliness. There’s striking physicality throughout, from Yentl/Anshl’s awkwardness to Hodes’ shy earnestness. The pace is spot on, crackling in the climactic confrontation between Yentl, Avigdor and Hodes. The ever present Torah becomes a fifth character, with a Hebrew inscribed curtain framing key moments (though I would love to know what it says). Overall, the direction is sharp and considered.

UK and original set designers Isabella Van Braeckel and Dann Barber create an evocative, brooding world shaped by flickering candlelight and rustic furniture. The imposing wall feels ancient and unyielding; the shredded rubber floor earthy and primal. Costumes stay muted, with Hodes’ yellow dress a rare flash of hope. Lighting designers Tom Turner and Rachel Burke craft a restrained visual palette, expertly using shadows to underscore the story’s darker elements. Sound designer Julian Starr, with designer and composer Max Lyandvert, subtly build tension through abstract strings, distant voices and electronic pulses. Mask like makeup nods to Purim’s hidden identities, with Yentl the most naturalistic yet still unmistakably masked.

Overall, the cast is brilliant. Amy Hack’s Yentl is superb, expertly capturing the tension between self-determination and destruction, outwardly uncertain yet inwardly blazing. Hack feels fully human, with sharp humour and moving singing. Ashley Margolis’ Avigdor is a knot of contradictions, desperately trying to outrun destiny while giving in to his basest desires. Margolis’ brooding worldliness plays beautifully against Yentl’s raw naivety, deepening both characters. Genevieve Kingsford gives Hodes an endearing, somewhat tragic edge while maintaining a flicker of grit and agency. Evelyn Krape brings a deliciously mischievous darkness to the Figure – part tormentor, part temptation – though the character shifts could be clearer and the timing a little punchier.

‘Yentl’ is a strikingly accessible, compelling look at the clash between self determination and social constraint, resonating well beyond its Jewish roots. It fittingly honours Singer’s original story while asserting its own identity – a powerful, thought-provoking watch.

YENTL

Marylebone Theatre

Reviewed on 11th March 2026

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Manuel Harlan

YENTL

★★★★★

“gorgeous to look at and stunningly staged”

Shakespeare’s “Othello” is categorised as a tragedy. After all, the full title ‘The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice’ puts it in that box, although it has often been argued that it is not so easy to pigeonhole. While not specifically a ‘Problem Play’, it always has been problematic, due to its controversial and complex issues – particularly regarding race and misogyny. However, there is no problem whatsoever with Tom Morris’ beautifully and stylishly directed revival which captivates throughout, focusing more on the troubled motivations of an unhinged protagonist and his antagonist, Iago.

David Harewood is an imposing Othello with an implicit vulnerability, the degree of which he portrays with an understated precision. Morris makes explicit Othello’s epilepsy, but it is Harewood who manages to convey that there is much more going on under the skin. This play is less about the blackness of his skin than the greenness of the eyes. The monster looms large, drawing audible gasps from the audience at the key moments of violence. Toby Jones, as a deliciously impish Iago, steals more than his fair share of jealousy too. In turn, he shares his resentful and covetous secrets with the audience while manipulating his victims. A show-stealing, darkly mischievous performance that amazingly manages to tease out perverse comedy with impeccable timing; but still be pretty creepy too.

The timeless quality is enhanced by Ti Green’s use of modern costume, set against her opulent, regal backdrops that could belong to any era. The gold trimmings of the theatre’s auditorium stretch to the back of the stage in the shape of gilded picture frames that slip away to reveal the bed on which the murderous climax takes place. Richard Howell’s lighting creates suitably unsettling moods, softening us with warm coppers and cobalts, before shattering our complacency with crashes of white. PJ Harvey’s music (composed with Jon Nicholls) bubbles underneath, often unnoticed and subliminal; unnerving yet still magnificently stylised.

Caitlin Fitzgerald’s Desdemona matches the grandeur. Regal in stature she fights back at her husband’s powerplay with a stillness and strength that (almost) conceals her fear of her own inevitable fate. Video projections reveal the dual emotions in her eyes up close – a fitting omen for the final tragic scenes. It is in these scenes that the peripheral characters take centre stage too – notably Vinette Robinson’s Emilia, the wife of Iago, who breaks out of her subservient pragmatism to deliver lines rich with emotion. Luke Treadaway, as the easily led, hard-done-by Cassio, is impressively charismatic, mixing gallantry and gullibility in explosive measures. Tom Byrne, as Roderigo, adds a lighter touch. Another pawn in Iago’s great scheme, he is more of a fool for love, allowing himself to be easily manipulated.

The whole story is crystal clear, each actor masterfully enunciating Shakespeare’s text and projecting to the rafters with ease. The only slight quibble is that the writing is, at times, a bit long-winded, to say the least. But who’s going to argue with the playwright? This slick production swiftly steers through the soliloquies to stab at the unpalatable truths of human nature. Shakespeare may have written ‘Othello’ surrounded by different principles and outlooks in society, but Morris and company take his words and speak to us in a modern setting with just as much urgency. The show is gorgeous to look at and stunningly staged. Pacy and provocative, filmic and theatrical, full of dark humour and darker candour. Compelling, chilling and thrilling; and staged with the choreographic fluidity of a ballet.

Tag Archives: Yarit Dor

YENTL

★★★★

Marylebone Theatre

YENTL

Marylebone Theatre

★★★★

“Amy Hack’s Yentl is superb, expertly capturing the tension between self-determination and destruction, outwardly uncertain yet inwardly blazing”