Cling to Me Like Ivy
by Samantha Ellis
In the year 2004 in London a young Jewish girl Rivka is having doubts concerning her wedding, which is planned in few weeks: how can you know if you really love someone?
In Rivka's Orthodox Jewish community married women are supposed to cover their hair and she is very excited trying on her new wig.
All of a sudden Victoria Beckham declares on TV that wigs from India have something to do with idol worship - a practice forbidden under Jewish law. Rivka's best friend, Hindu-girl Leela gets upset with the Jewish authorities suggesting that the wigs should be burnt. Rivka's father Shmuley, a rabbi, is trying to look for answers for himself and for the community. Rivka's fiancé David, also eager in reading Jewish law, becomes zealous in its interpretation and her grandmother Malka, who hides skeletons in her closet, chooses to conform to whatever the expectations of the community may be.
In the midst of identity crisis and a heated legal debate, unexpected touch by Patrick, Leela's boyfriend opens a whole new world to Rivka.
Cling to Me Like Ivy raises various questions in between humorous dialog and warm character-building:
How to know what is right? How to live without regrets and without hurting others? How to cope with religious rules in modern, secular world? To whom do we owe our decisions?
The same type of questions need to be answered whether you are member of a religious community, a person not willing to commit to relationships, young or old, man or woman, parent or child or simply when you are struggling in finding your own path in life.
Performed by Helsinki Attic Theatre on:
October 15th at 18.00 and 25th 2010 at 19.00 in Caisa, Mikonkatu 17 C, Helsinki
In Rivka's Orthodox Jewish community married women are supposed to cover their hair and she is very excited trying on her new wig.
All of a sudden Victoria Beckham declares on TV that wigs from India have something to do with idol worship - a practice forbidden under Jewish law. Rivka's best friend, Hindu-girl Leela gets upset with the Jewish authorities suggesting that the wigs should be burnt. Rivka's father Shmuley, a rabbi, is trying to look for answers for himself and for the community. Rivka's fiancé David, also eager in reading Jewish law, becomes zealous in its interpretation and her grandmother Malka, who hides skeletons in her closet, chooses to conform to whatever the expectations of the community may be.
In the midst of identity crisis and a heated legal debate, unexpected touch by Patrick, Leela's boyfriend opens a whole new world to Rivka.
Cling to Me Like Ivy raises various questions in between humorous dialog and warm character-building:
How to know what is right? How to live without regrets and without hurting others? How to cope with religious rules in modern, secular world? To whom do we owe our decisions?
The same type of questions need to be answered whether you are member of a religious community, a person not willing to commit to relationships, young or old, man or woman, parent or child or simply when you are struggling in finding your own path in life.
Performed by Helsinki Attic Theatre on:
October 15th at 18.00 and 25th 2010 at 19.00 in Caisa, Mikonkatu 17 C, Helsinki