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Beate Hein Bennett
On the Eve of Catastrophe Beneath the Ice of the Vistula
The play “Beneath the Ice of the Vistula” by Roman Freud takes us back to Warsaw in August 1939, the eve of World War II, to tell the story of two people. An uncanny present-day parallel offers itself—Ukraine, February 24, 2022! For the past four years Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages have been subjected to daily Russian bombardments. World War II began in Poland September 1, 1939 with the Nazi bombardment of Warsaw and subsequent military occupation. The rest of this six year catastrophe seems far in the fog of history for the young generation in the West but the causes and the sequence of ALL the horrific events that followed are firmly imprinted in the consciousness of Eastern Europeans. No family escaped from the effects -- Jewish life was utterly destroyed in the Holocaust and the rest of the population was decimated in the war---all within five years-- only twenty years after the horrors of WWI! The theater offers the opportunity to contemplate history on a visceral level, not through the great scheme of politics, but through the effects and dramatic predicaments of politics or living history on human beings and their relationships, social and spiritual. Roman Freud’s play “Beneath the Ice of the Vistula” lays bare the dynamics of how an impending sense of doom, undefined at first, gradually intrudes into formerly fixed expectations of social norms (or prejudices) and even the sense of Self. Adam Kobylyanski is a successful composer, admiring composition student and friend of French composer Maurice Ravel, and renowned cellist who has played in the major concert halls of Europe. He lives alone in a small apartment in Warsaw with a plant he calls Frieda that he considers his inspirational friend. A very self-involved Artist-to-the-core, he is a bumbler with household chores. Therefore he puts out a newspaper ad for a housekeeper who also shops and cooks. Lydia has answered his ad in the paper. She is a straight no-nonsense village woman whose expertise is to cook, not just food but Food! She creatively reinvents her grandmother’s recipes with novel additions. In the course of the play the two spar and quarrel and compete with each other over their respective creative competencies, trying to find a common language that both understand. However, Big History evolves in the background—Hitler’s threats of invasion and the “Jewish question!” Lydia pays attention to the news coming from Germany and tries to warn her Jewish “Mr. Adam” and convince him to get out of Europe before it’s too late. However, he is totally convinced of his belonging to the European cultural realm, of being a respected Polish cosmopolitan Artist and disregards her simple warnings. Like many intellectual Jews he was incredulous of any danger applying to him. The inevitable happens—the bombs fall on Warsaw! The West End Theater is a round intimate space under the cupola of the St. Paul & St. Andrew UMC Church. Set designer Zhenya Shekhter created for that space an ingenious malleable environment that serves as a living space but also evokes the illusion of various outside worlds—an imaginary concert hall in the head of the composer, other apartment houses across the Vistula River, and on the stage floor white painted abstract squares (ice floes?). Hunter Lastberg’s lighting design complements the set with targeted lighting and mostly cool white general ambience. Denis Zabiyaka created the sound effects. Natalia Danilova’s costumes indicate a modest late 30s style. Special mention belongs to Innessa Zaretsky who composed the solo cello piece Kobylyanski was “struggling” to get on paper. At the end the (unseen) cellist Aaron Wolff plays the entire beautiful solo cello piece. Last not least the work of the performing artists: Director Eduard Tolokonnikov has choreographed the duo through the diverse pace of the play—moments of fury alternate with lyricism. Roman Freud plays “Mr. Adam” as a majestic but morose composer who is alternately charmed and infuriated by Lydia. Multiple Emmy Award winner Cady McClain is the no-nonsense self-possessed Lydia, the Chef-par-excellence and down-to-earth all-round housekeeper. Both actors perform a credible beautiful partnership in which the contrast between their natures is expressed through the differences in given word choices and style of movement. (Mr. Freud plays the part of Adam Kobylyanski alternately with Lev Grzhonko.) Three phantoms appear in Kobilyanski’s dreams as surreal additions:, Christoph Willibald Gluck and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the two 18th century composers, and his contemporary idol, Maurice Ravel. Brad Fryman (in funny wigs) embodies all with great gusto and humor. Stories of Polish Jews being saved by Poles, often simple farm folk, who provided hiding places in cellars on farms do exist but tend to be overlooked—several names can be found on the List of the Righteous at Yad Vashem in Israel. With his play “Beneath the Ice of the Vistula” Roman Freud pays homage to these brave women and men and their (hi)stories. The production of this play is a reminder of the personal courage required to stand up against injustice, especially when faced with violence exacted by political power. It takes foresight to prevent political violence, as we now know in this country. I would like to encourage you to see this thought provoking and beautiful production that raises deep questions about human behavior and motivation, about presumptions and responsibilities, about blind faith versus clear sight. |
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