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Communication Cabaret with Jenny Simanowitz: Who’s Afraid of the Jewish Mother?

Datum & Uhrzeit: 11.09.2019, 18:00 - 18:00

Veranstaltungsinfos

Zeit: 11.09.2019, 18:00 - 18:00


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Wednesday, 11 September 2019 (English)


Jenny Simanowitz’ “Communication Cabaret”, delightfully witty as it is, is also a homage to the Jewish mother, and to people who have to fight for their dignity and their identity in a strange and often hostile world.


“The Jewish mother” is a colourful character developed mainly by her sons, who were writing  for Broadway and Hollywood in the early twentieth century. As such she can almost be viewed as a projection of a predominantly patriarchal society. There are hundreds of jokes based on her behaviour - her possessiveness, her self-pity, and her almost obsessive involvement with her children. However, her story is also one of courage and strength; it was the mother who at  times of great uncertainty and transition held the family together, giving the emotional support and inspiration  needed by immigrants who often found themselves living in poverty and prejudice.


Jenny Simanowitz was brought up in a non-religious Jewish family in South Africa. Her grandparents had fled there from the pogroms in Eastern Europe. She herself left South Africa when she was 20 because she did not want to live under the apartheid system.


In Austria she became known for her communication cabarets - a mixture of stand-up, theatre and consciousness-raising.


Her shows up till now have dealt with a wide range of social topics including gender roles (“Sex & Business” and “We are Woman”), intercultural communication (“Good Vibrations”) and the trials and tribulations of growing old (“Courage”).


Her personal experience in Vienna has shown her that the history of the Jews in Austria is still often met with guilt feelings, defensiveness or lack of interest.


One of the main aims of this production is to try to react to these feelings with sensitivity and humour  and transform them into empathy and curiosity- not just for Jews but for all the “strangers who come to our shore.”


English Performance: Wednesday, 11 September, 8pm ( auf Detusch am 4. Dezember)


Cafe Korb Art Lounge, Brandstätte/Tuchlauben, 1010 Wien


Karten: € 17,- ermäßigt € 12,- 


Reservierung: office@happybusiness.at