Prayer for the French Republic an inter-generational hit

Play examines the on-again, off-again fears of Jews worldwide as to whether they are safe

By Byron Toben

May 3, 2023

The French Revolution led to the establishment of a Republic in 1798 and, under Napoleon, the elimination of ghettos to which Jewish residents were confined, despite their having arrived in France 1000 years ago. This equalization extended to other areas conquered by France, so it is no surprise that French Jews loved France even though it turned into an Empire in 1808 and back to a Republic in 1848.

So it is fitting that American playwright Joshua Harmon, himself partly descended from French Jews, chose an intergenerational story to examine the on-again, off-again fears of Jews worldwide as to whether they are safe in their haven or must move elsewhere as “wandering Jews.” In Prayer for the French Republic, he creates a fictional family, the Salomons, who established a piano manufacturing business in Paris 150 years ago, as their present-day descendants are beleaguered by events in 1994-1996 and again in 2016-2017.

The printed program actually has a Salomon family tree which I use below to readily spot who of this all-star cast played what role.

[Harmon] creates a fictional family, the Salomons, who established a piano manufacturing business in Paris 150 years ago, as their present-day descendants are beleaguered by events in 1994-1996 and again in 2016-2017.

The clan began with Adolphe (Wade Lynch) and Irma (Felicia Shulman), who begat Lucien (Eyal Galli), who begat Pierre (as young, Michael Kreyzerman and as old, Maurice Podbrey), who begat Patrick (Richard Jutras) and sister Marcelle (Ellen David).

Marcelle married Algerian Jew Charles Benhamou (Alex Poch-Goldin), and they begat Daniel Benhamou (Daniel Greenberg) and Élodie Benhamou (Arielle Shiri). Molly (Madison Graves), an American distant cousin to Marcelle, visits her Salomon-Benhamou relatives during the uneasy times of 2016-17.

References are made to older cause celebre such as the Dreyfuss forgeries, Ann Frank and the Holocaust and, more recently, Charlie Hebdo and kosher restaurant slayings. Is Israel a safer choice to emigrate to or North America?

Meanwhile, ancient ceremonies are fleetingly observed – Shabbos, Passover, Chanukah – as a possible romance between distant cousins Molly and Daniel simmers. Daniel, beaten up on the streets, considers taking his guitar and moving to the USA, where he can emulate Bob Dylan.

‘Kudos to casting expert Rachelle Glait… and particularly to overall director Lisa Rubin for selecting semi-retired Maurice Podbrey, founding director of the Centaur Theatre, as the wise pater familias of the modern Salomon/Benhamou clan.’

The play begins with slight strains of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, and ends with a full-blown rendition by the full cast.

At the press conference opening, a buffet featured – what else – fresh croissants, various cheese slices and white wine mini goblets with orange slices atop.

Kudos to casting expert Rachelle Glait for nary a weak spot among the eleven experienced actors, five of whom making their Segal Centre debut, and particularly to overall director Lisa Rubin for selecting semi-retired Maurice Podbrey, founding director of the Centaur Theatre, as the wise pater familias of the modern Salomon/Benhamou clan.

A shout out too for the excellent French surtitles overhead translated by Charlie Morin and edited by Delphine Ricard. I found them useful even for anglophone me if I missed a point spoken here or there. The Segal is attracting more Francophone audiences with such conveniences.

Prayer for the French Republic continues at the Segal Centre until May 14.

segalcentre.org

Images: Leslie Schachter

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Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated web sites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.