Theatre Ariel presents Maya Arad Yasur’s Amsterdam

Past dues

The play follows an Israeli violinist living in Amsterdam who receives a mysterious gas bill from the 1940s, triggering a cascade of questions about history, identity, and responsibility. Four actors (Keith J. Conallen, Taylor Congson, Kishia Nixon, and Adam Pela-Pauls) serve as narrators, performers, and interpreters, weaving and debating the story with impressive chemistry and clarity. The layered narrative intentionally confounds, underscoring Yasur's central thesis: that bearing witness to the past is an act of imagination, piecing together stories to approach a truth that may never be fully known.

The production excels when focusing on its climactic revelations about the Dutch resistance during the Holocaust. The staggering statistic that 75% of Dutch-Jewish people perished during the Holocaust lends gravity to the story, and Yasur’s script thoughtfully excavates a lesser-known history with nuance and power. The slow build to its shocking conclusion is gripping and expertly realized.

Bridging the gap

However, Amsterdam stumbles when it attempts to bridge its historical narrative with contemporary issues. Yasur’s script, brimming with questions and tangents, can feel unwieldy, especially when linking the protagonist's story to modern Israeli-Palestinian tensions. While written in 2018, these moments feel underdeveloped and jarring in the broader context of the play and our current moment, undermining its otherwise poignant examination of historical memory.

Director Jesse Bernstein keeps the production moving fluidly, avoiding potential narrative tedium through deft pacing and staging. The ensemble’s playful energy and commitment bring lightness to a story that could otherwise feel heavy, while Andrew Thompson’s evocative set design and J. Dominic Chacon’s stunning lighting enhance the atmosphere, drawing audiences deeper into the story’s layered complexities.

Following each performance, a post-show conversation invites audiences to unpack the play’s themes, a testament to how much the production leaves to ponder. Artistic Director Jesse Bernstein writes that Amsterdam is Theatre Ariel’s way of “announcing themselves in a dramatic way,” and indeed, the company’s return is a welcome addition to Philadelphia’s theater community.