For acclaimed Russian actress Yulia Rutberg, language is irrelevant in Vakhtangov Academic Theatre of Russia’s production of Smile At Us, Oh Lord.
That’s because she’s starring in a non-speaking role. In fact, her character isn’t even human; she’s playing a goat. “The goat is a very important symbol for Jewish people,” she says over the phone from Moscow. “It is a metaphor, it is a totem.”
After a whirlwind tour with 155 shows worldwide, Smile At Us, Oh Lord will land in Toronto for two nights at the Elgin Theatre. Though it’ll be performed in its original language, albeit with English subtitles, producer Svetlana Dvoretskaia hopes it will also attract those outside of the Russian- speaking community.
“The play is about love between human beings, and staying committed to your faith, whichever your faith is,” says Dvoretskaia, the founder of Show One Productions.
She’s been putting high-calibre international musicians, dancers and theatre companies in front of Canadian audiences for the past 11 seasons, including Vakhtangov’s production of Eugene Onegin, which sold out last year.
Smile At Us, Oh Lord, adapted from two novels by Lithuanian Grigory Kanovich, tells the story of three Jewish friends as they venture from their shtetl to Vilnius. Kanovich, who now lives in Israel, is one of Lithuania’s most celebrated writers.
As the only Jewish actor in the production, this play is especially important for Rutberg. But, despite its strong Jewish themes, she insists this play is universal. “Smile At Us, Oh Lord. At us. And us means the whole world,” she says.
Dvoretskaia echoes this sentiment. She’s also quick to note how poignantly this production, directed by Rimas Tuminas, portrays its Jewish characters. “When we do something that relates to our traditions or our history, I think we have a certain perspective,” she says. “When non-Jewish people show you how they see our world, I think it’s quite interesting. And they’ve done an extra-ordinary job.”
The two Toronto shows are the last ones on Vakhtangov’s tour. Rutberg, who considers herself a veteran after performing with the company for 26 years, is excited to see Canada and the United States – especially sites such as Niagara Falls.
Before she takes time to rest, though, Rutberg still has two more shows and she hopes to inspire her audience to think about their own lives. And she must do this without speaking.
Despite being onstage for much of the play, she emits only one sentence. “If you remember,” she says, “Chaplin never said a word, lots of great actors they never had an opportunity to utter any words.” This forces her to consider other acting tools, such as her body, her gestures and her eyes as she must convey emotions in silence.
Both Rutberg and Dvoretskaia know these emotions will touch audience members regardless of their nationality. “You walk home and you want to change the world around you,” says Dvoretskaia, “which I think is the ultimate goal of every art.”
Smile At Us, Oh Lord runs June 16-17 at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto. For tickets visit ShowOneProductions.ca, Ticketmaster.ca or call 1-855-622-ARTS (2787).
