Revenge: After the Levoyah is playing at the Anatomy Theatre at Summerhall, presented by Plotnek Productions and Nick Cassenbaum (who wrote this show). The performance had captioning available throughout, so if this is required, I encourage individuals to ask staff to seat them in the best spots to see the captioning screen.
Revenge: After the Levoyah is set in 2019, where twins Dan and Lauren meet a former gangster at their grandfather’s funeral (levoyah), who draws them into a plot to kidnap the then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in reaction to concerns about what he will do to the country if he gets into power due to his alleged antisemitism. This show and all the characters within it are performed by Gemma Barnett and Dylan Corbett-Bader, who clearly demonstrate their versatility and skill as performers. Particular praise goes to Dylan for the ease of their transitions between distinctly different characters and Gemma’s articulation of Moishy.
This show is both hard-hitting at times and hilariously delightful at others. It is a very interesting mix, and Revenge: After the Levoyah manages to tread the line between being funny and being impactful. When this show hits, it hits hard. It does not miss and hit the wall, and the message is clearly communicated even within the humorous elements. This show both exposes exceptionally painful truths regarding the reality of the hatred deep within our society towards a marginalised and beautiful community and culture and unites the audience in a wholesome manner through laughter. This show has minimal use of props and staging appropriate to the venue space and uses these inventively to the production’s advantage. The direction is excellent, especially during the slow-motion moments in reaction to the change in sound and lighting. Nick’s writing is clever, well-structured, and masterfully composed.
Revenge: After the Levoyah is a production that needs to be seen and understood. Even though it is set in 2019, the message and the questions it poses are still relevant today but are presented in a show that is delightfully, wickedly irreverent when it needs to be and raw and deeply impactful when necessary.
