A spook by any other name is just as scary. Other cultures might have their witches and devils and demons but the Jews have dybbuks and the Golem of Prague, both celebrated in literature and lore. Leaving the latter — a kind of zombie superhero made out of mud — for another day, let’s look at “Dybbuk,” Bruce Myers’ adaptation of the classic S. Ansky drama.
The current Traveling Jewish Theatre revival is the latest in a long line of spin-offs since the 1920 Vilna, Lithuania, premiere of the popular play. “The Dybbuk” has had numerous incarnations on film, television, in the opera house and in the world of dance. Myers’ adaptation may be the sparest yet, with two actors, a man and a woman, playing numerous roles. Playwright Myers was in the 1977 New York Public Theatre production, along with Corey Fischer, who starred in the last TJT staging in 1999 and directed this one.
The story comes straight from Eastern European folklore (Ansky was an ethnographer before he was a playwright). A poor scholar, steeped in the mystical teachings of the Kabbalah, is in love with a girl whose father has more ambitious plans. When Leah, the beloved, is betrothed to a wealthy suitor, the scholar, Chanon, dies of a broken heart (aided by too much fasting in hopes of having his prayers heard).
On her wedding day, Leah goes to the cemetery to invite the spirit of her long-dead mother to attend the wedding. In a moment of rebelliousness, she also issues an invitation to Chanon, newly laid in his grave.
He actually accepts, his unquiet soul not only coming to the wedding but entering into the body of the bride, possessing her spirit and speaking through her mouth. What follows is an exorcism attempt that just might put Linda Blair and company to shame and a surprise ending that, yet again, proves love to be stronger than death.
Chanon and Leah are Keith C. Davis and Karine Koret. They are not only a fine pair of lovers but also do double- and triple duty in other roles. Davis is particularly funny and effective as Leah’s self-righteous, self-serving father and her kvetchy bubbe. He also takes on the part of the exorcising rabbi — mostly in Yiddish. Koret also plays a student-friend of the scholar Chanon, who comes to urge him to give up his hopeless passion and live in the real world, but she saves her real power for the closing exorcism scene in which she truly is something to behold.
With some kind of directorial sleight-of-hand Fischer takes these two people and a scant 90 minutes of dialogue and turns it into an evening of high drama. “Dybbuk” is totally absorbing from beginning to end.
Well, maybe not in the very beginning. If there is one quibble with Myers’ adaptation it may be on the way it starts out. In an attempt to update the venerable tale, Myers has set it as a play-within-a-play. The action opens in a modern-day dining room. Think spare set with table, Shabbat candles, challah and a couple of soup bowls. Off to the side is a coat rack from which will come many costume changes.
After they do the Sabbath blessings over candles, bread and wine, the modern couple sits down to eat. But the husband is gloomy. To cheer him up, the wife tells him a story, the story of the dybbuk that possessed the body of a young girl. It’s a slow start to a tale that really takes off, once it is allowed to unfold. One questions whether it is really necessary. Especially at the end when the lovers of the story seem to briefly merge with the modern husband and wife. Or maybe not. Who knows? The whole frame shouts “theatrical device.”
Aside from that, “Dybbuk” is a touching thrill ride with moments of high humor — ultimately a love story that stands very well enough on its own.
“Dybbuk” runs through May 30 at Traveling Jewish Theatre, 470 Florida St., S.F.; May 27-30 at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley. Shows are Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets $20-$28. Information: (415) 285-8080 or www.atjt.com.