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Heroism lives in Irena's Vow
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Thomas Ryan, Tovah Feldshuh and John Stanisci
There are plays that bring history, healing and hope to the world. Sometimes they are well written and sometimes they fail in that capacity. Dan Gordon's Irena's Vow, falls into the later. This true story of courage is an example of how one person can make a difference. It is a shame the characters are not more fleshed out, but have been left to the oblivion of one dimensional. Yet strangely enough, because of the subject matter, we are engrossed in wanting to know who these people are. We are sent on an emotional roller-coaster because of the horror and then the soaring humanity of this one brave woman. By the end sobs are heard in a collective unison. I am compelled to go out and read Irena Gut Opdyke's book: In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. The drama opens with Irena (Tovah Feldshuh) addressing a group of high school students and reverts back to the beginning of her tale. At 17 as World War 11 starts, Irena is separated from her family and brutally raped by the Russians. Escaping back to Poland which is now Nazi-occupied she finds herself working for the highest ranking German official, Major Rugemer (wonderfully played by Thomas Ryan). Enamored of her he upgrades her to head supervisor of 11 Jewish laundry workers. She witnesses the herding, the brutal killing of a baby, the shooting of a large portion of the local Jews, who are ceremoniously dumped into a ditch. Unable to help, she vows to God if given another chance she will do anything she can. Enter SS officer Rokita (the appropriate villainous John Stanisci) who describes the plan to systematically eradicate all Jews from the area. This particular monologue is the best written piece in the show. Upon learning this information she sets out to save the 11 that turn into 12 and finally 13. At one point Rugemer discovers she has hidden the 13 in the house and agrees to keep her secret if she becomes his mistress. The personal cost of all of this, Irena keeps from the Jewish survivors. There is so much more but for that you should see this drama. Tovah Feldshuh's performance is riveting and she demonstrates what a marvelous actress she is, but the casting of Ms Feldshuh is part of the downfall to the play. In an age where we are casting film actresses Scarlett Johansson or someone like her would do the play a better service. Irena is Polish and Catholic and this is a non Jew saving Jewish lives. I also wished Steven Hauck was given more to do or we learned more about him as Irena's co-worker. The sets by Kevin Judge set the ominous tone, while the fast pace direction of Michael Parva keeps us from getting stuck into more melodrama than necessary. At the end of the play Irena states ""You are the last generation who will hear from a living witness to the Holocaust. You have a responsibility. Every time you meet hatred, you must stand up against it." Like Irena, who died in 2003, and Oskar Schindler whose name she is next to, there are hero's among us and they should be honored and cherished.
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