Monstrous Theatre is premiering celebrated Australian playwright Ron Elisha’s new comedy Rootless Cosmopolitans at Chapel Off Chapel starting 15 May 2024.
A dangerous comedy about not going quietly, Elisha’s new work is a timely, thought-provoking black comedy piece that explores the polarising power of social media, anti-semitism and the minefield of identity politics.
It follows Ira Brot, an acclaimed artistic director whose life is upended by a single tweet, amid tensions with his Jewish convert wife, an antagonistic theatre company Chairperson, and an ambitious assistant director. The narrative also explores Ira’s complex relationship with his deceased mother.
“In recent times, the putatively progressive Jewish world has been turned upside down, leaving one clinging desperately to what used to be the ground underneath one’s feet,” Elisha said.
” In such circumstances, one might be forgiven for uttering a ‘cri de coeur’. Mine is titled ‘Rootless Cosmopolitans,’ he said.
The term “rootless cosmopolitans” was historically used in a derogatory manner to describe individuals who were perceived as lacking loyalty to their own country or culture. It was particularly used in Soviet Russia during the Stalin era to target intellectuals, artists, and Jews who were seen as being disconnected from the Soviet ideology or national identity. The term implied that these individuals were “citizens of the world” without a genuine attachment to their homeland, and it often carried anti-Semitic connotations.
Melbourne-based Elisha has had his work produced across Australia and internationally for over 40 years. His plays have been translated into multiple languages and he has been honored with numerous awards, including four Australian Writers’ Guild Awards.
Some of Elisha’s notable works include In Duty Bound, Einstein and Two, and more recently, The Soul Of Wittgenstein in London, Unsolicited Male, and Anne Being Frank. The latter had a successful off-Broadway premiere in September 2023 and received two Broadway World Awards during its New York run.
Directed by Suzanne Heywood, Rootless Cosmopolitans will run at Chapel Off Chapel, 12 LittleChapel Street Prahran from 15 May to 2 June 2024 and stars Anton Berezin, Emily Joy, Seon Williams and the legendary Babs McMillan.
Bookings: www.chapeloffchapel.com.au
For more information, visit: www.monstroustheatre.com.au
