Play Me A Poem

Published by: Margot Gorski | 4-Feb-2019
World-renowned Australian songwriters including Deborah Conway, Paul Grabowsky and Lior will spearhead the world premiere of Play Me a Poem, performing original tunes set to Yiddish poetry at the National Theatre in St Kilda on Sunday 3rd March. #Playmeapoem #Yiddish #DeborahConway #Lior #PaulGrabowsky
Venue: National Theatre
Address: 30 Carlisle St St Kilda
Date: 3rd March 2019
Time: 7.00pm
Ticket: $30 - $70
Buy / Ticket: www.nationaltheatre.org.au/PlayMeAPoem
Web: www.nationaltheatre.org.au/PlayMeAPoem
Call: 9525 4611
For one night only, an incredible star-studded line-up will come together to bring you an absolutely unmissable show of traditional and modern Yiddish verse transformed as new songs penned in contemporary music styles such as rock, funk, pop, reggae, electronica, folk and more. The songwriters, who also include Willy Zygier, Josh Abrahams, Simon Starr, Adam Starr, Tomi Kalinski, Jess Cornish and Juliana Kay bring the whimsical, lilting and often heartbreaking lyrics of decades and centuries-old Yiddish poetry to life with their original creations.

Each artist was invited to write a tune for a selected piece of poetry and create a new and original song. Poems were drawn from the rich anthology of Yiddish verse from before and after WWII and the musicians were invited to perform their poem in whichever musical style they chose.

The show will be in Yiddish and English, with English surtitles.

The concept of setting poetry to new music is enjoying a resurgence, both here and overseas, with artists like Paul Kelly creating fresh works that bring new emotional depth and rhythm to a much-loved genre.

Yiddish, the language of central and eastern European Jews for some one thousand years before the holocaust, is also enjoying a resurgence around the world. Growing numbers of Jews and non-Jews are learning its melodic fusion of German, ancient Hebrew and various Slavic and Romantic languages and Yiddish is now a feature in contemporary theatre and music productions across the USA, Europe and Australia.

Presented by Melbourne's Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre, the premier Australian centre for the preservation and renewal of Yiddish culture, Play Me a Poem was conceived by writer and singer Galit Klas and is co-directed by Ms Klas and actor, Evelyn Krape.

Play Me a Poem is a unique opportunity to hear a world-class group of musicians perform new and original compositions. It will run for one night only. Tickets are adult $70, concession $55 and full-time student $30. Tickets are available at www.nationaltheatre.org.au/PlayMeAPoem or call the Box Office: 9525 4611

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