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Modern Yiddish theatre was created almost single-handedly by Abraham Goldfaden
(1840-1908) in the 1860s and 1870s in Eastern Europe. Goldfaden had a
background in rabbinical studies and his involvement with theatre began when he
played the leading role in a Purim play. He abandoned his studies to write and
publish several collections of Yiddish folk songs, and he then joined forces
with a group of Broder singers to present what became known as the first
professional Yiddish theatre performance - a two act play in Jassy, Romania.
Traditionally men also played the female roles; however, with the popularity
of his plays, Goldfaden found women to play these roles. He wrote new plays
for his company, including satirical comedies, romantic operettas and later
serious dramas using historical themes. So started the craze for Yiddish
theatre which spread from city to city, and whose popularity led Goldfaden to
tour Russia.
Accomplished actors from Goldfaden's company broke away and formed their own
companies. But in 1883 the Russian government banned Yiddish performances,
and Yiddish actors and dramatists joined the mass emigration westwards across
Europe to Paris, London and New York. This is where the history of Yiddish
theatre in London begins.
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