Multi-talented interpreter of Yiddish culture Marty Green introduces his latest offering in the form of a musical play based on the classic poem by Peretz. What starts out as a Jewish retelling of the classic Faust legend quickly turns into a rollicking, satirical look at traditional Jewish attitudes towards religion, sex, and the Gentile world. Marty Green has taken this epic ballad and adapted it to a lively jazz-klezmer setting, interleaving his own razor-sharp English translations with the original Yiddish lyrics.
what audiences said about “The Ballad of Monish”:
"The show was fabulous!" (Ira Ripstein, physician). " I found the Yiddish language really interesting. All in all, very impressive and entertaining." (Markus Buchart, lawyer) "You are an educator at least as much as you are an entertainer. The comments we overheard were highly positive. Some were raves. Jennifer came from a sense of duty (to me), but left commenting on how glad she was that I had dragged her along. " (Arthur Schafer, professor) "Great show! All of the comments I heard from people around us were very favourable." (Rocky Kravetsky, lawyer) "Congratulations on a great show! We were very impressed, both with the music and the amazing commentary! A very eclectic mix -- including Horton Hatches the Egg!" (John Barsby, teacher) "The music was marvellous; thanks for a memorable afternoon." (Laya Braemer) "I can't begin to tell you how much Jaxon and I loved the show. We talked about it all day long! I knew you were brilliant, but your teachings within your humour and charming entertainment blows me away!" (Romi Mayes, musician) "Musical, creative, clever and clearly a lot of hard work on your part and your sister's. Congratulations!" (Ralph Melnicer, teacher) "You were one of the 'topics of conversation' at a weekly quilting group that I go to at Westminster Church. Sonya W. and her husband, Scott (he's a retired judge) were at your evening show. We were all in agreement that it was just great. I can't remember when we've had as much fun at the theatre!" (Pat Thomson, teacher) "You need less yakking and more continuity. Running banter with an audience may work while sitting at the piano in a bar, but incorporating it into what's supposed to be a play is amateurish and downright painful for paying customers!" (Janice Sawka, professional theater critic) “Bravo, Martin! What a way for us to spend a relaxing, entertaining Sunday. You and your sister have great talent. You have a hit on your hands. (Ted Speers, engineer) "The way you interspersed the Yiddish with the English, and (kept) the wonderful rhyming timbre and humour in the translation was nothing short of remarkable! (Sandy Rubinfeld)from the press reviews:
"...a fascinating cross-cultural event (and) a personal tour de force for Marty Green. We are very much in his debt for bringing to life the great Peretz ballad in such a meaningful and effective manner.” (Harold Buchwald, The Jewish Post and News)
....using exuberant musical motifs, Green invited us on a creative yet scholarly tour of the world of the shtetl....by the evening’s end, the audience was humming (his) catchy music and reflecting on the extraordinary insights that remain long after the laughter and the music of the stage show have died down.” (Rabbi Lawrence Pinsker, The Canadian Jewish News)
“...a truly enjoyable evening filled with laughter and song, all brought to us by the incredibly talented and unspeakably sharp-wittted Marty Green.” (Storm Anderson, The Winnipeg Press Club News)
click here to listen to excerpts from the show!