|
failed in the lecture (FARLEZUNG).
Then there arrived a "hole" (Gordin used to read the
opening to his plays), sitting off in the first rows,
and in the middle of the reading began to yawn, so that
they were all inflamed with this. When Gordin was at the
helm of the second act, at the dramatic scene, Casher
began to snort and snore, that the audience had laughed
[FUNANDERGELAKHT], and the entire dramatic mood became
destroyed."
And Joseph Rumshinsky
recalls:
"...Izidore Casher, as a 'patriotn,'
was called a bastard by them, because he used to go
around and KHLUSN from Adler's acting in Jacob Gordin's
play "Der meturef (The Bastard)". It was comical to
hear what we called that energetic, boiling, healthy guy
with those crazy, sharp eyes "meturef." The role,
which Adler had played in 'Meturef,' was of a young
fellow, a thinker, who used to stand the entire day by a
window and listen to the neighbor's daughter, Liza, play
Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano. This
delicate play of Adler and the music of Beethoven's
sonata had the stiff Izidore Casher so upset, that he
grew tired of the vernacular (VACHEDIKEYT) of the large
workshop and actually left the shop. Casher had, with
his love and life, surrendered to the theatre, and in a
short time became Adler's right hand. Adler (PAGE 2157)
already used to allow Casher to stage direct the plays
of the old repertoire, and later also trusted him with
the stage direction of the new plays. ...Casher was not
only Adler's right hand, but also Berta Kalich. When
Berta Kalich, already an English actress, used to come
give guest productions in Yiddish Theatre, Izidore
Casher was the regisseur of her repertoire. ...Izidore
Casher was for a time the theatre stage manager,
assistant regisseur, and even regisseur. However he
began to be a full-time actor when he began with Maurice
Schwartz."
The first role that C.
played was in O. Dymow's "Shklafn fun folk (Slave of the
People?)" (with J.P. Adler, 1918). He then played (with
Sara Adler and Rudolph Schildkraut) in the Novelty
Theatre, Brooklyn, and in 1921 in the People's Theatre
("Melkhial Garber" in Gordin's "Meturef (The
Worthless?)."
In the Yiddish Art Theatre
C. began to play in the 1923-1924 season, and from then
on he remained continuously with the Theatre. In the
first season he participated in the play, "Shabse Zvi"
by Zhulavsky, "Di zebn gehangenene (The Seven Who Were
Hanged" by Andreyev, "Betler (Beggar)" by Leivick, "Broit
(Bread)" by Dymow, "Lialkes (Dolls)" by Beneveto, "Tsvey
kuni lemels (The Two Kuni Lemels)" by Goldfaden, "Der
blutiker gelekhter (The Bloody Laughter) by Toller, "Der
eybiker lign (The Eternal Lie)" by Bramson, and "Furman
Hershl (Hershel Furman)" by Hauptmann.
In the summer of 1924 C.
went on a tour with the Yiddish Art Theatre in Europe
(London, Paris and Vienna), and he then played in
1924-1925 in the same theatre in the benefit performance
of Anski's "Dybbuk," in "Moshke khazir (Moshke the
Swine)" by I.D. Berkowitz, 'Ven shtarbt er? (When Will
He Die?)" by Chone Gottesfeld, "Sheydim veysn vos" by
Peretz Hirshbein, "In yedn hoyz (In Every House)" by B.
Gorin, "Velf (Wolves)," by Romain Rolland, "Peter der
groyser (Peter the Great)" by Dmitry Sergeyevich
Merezhkovsky, et al.
About C.'s role in these
productions, Dr. A. Mukdoni writes:
"...Here he was the golem, Gavrila, in I.D. Berkowitz's 'Moshke the Swine,'
who was given a
soul. ...I love Cashier's Navrila. They possess few
words, but every word of them comes out badly,
accompanied by a piece of healthy heart." ---"The
infinite innocence and the healthy calm, which I. Casher
had given him (Wolf's father in 'Sheydim veysn vos'),
were not any Yiddish. Such an oak can only grow in the
forest with the trees ---"His "Vera" in the Rolland novel is
the primitive of a people's revolution, the NIT-GETAKTER,
NIT GESHLIFENER and NIT FALIRGER BUNT, fire and
mud are mixed, idealized with wolfish TSEKRIMTE,
iron teeth, heroism with GRABE(R), unflattering
melancholy. Everything pops out with his fierce anger.
I. Casher's 'Vera' is the symbol of revolution, hot and
wild blood hit the
head... And this hell on two legs had Izidore Casher also
steamed up with a childhood innocence, with the
innocence of indigenous people. ...It is perhaps, however,
Izidore Casher's love, innocence, his kindness, and he had
for a while he smiled at the crushed Vera." --- "The
joy in Mereshkovski's 'Peter the Great' (PAGE
2158) is so sculpturally posed, that you even see his
drunken singing. A minute on the scene, and you see him
for long, long."
A.H. Bialin writes (in his
book, "Maurice Schwartz and the Yiddish Art Theatre"):
"Izidore Casher made a great
impression in Romain Rolland's 'Wolves.' With his acting
he oyfgeshturemt
the theatre. With his dramatic stings and wild primitive
momentum....
After a benefit production
of "Di gayster (The Ghost)," Dr. A. Mukdoni writes:
"...A composition of
broken lines. This
what you see and admire in his (Casher) role of Jacob
Bragstag (Engstrand) in Ibsen's "Ghosts." ...The soul is
TSEKRIMT, TSEPITSILT, and a good thing comes out and is
made bad, evil and obnoxious grimaces. ...It becomes
cold at once from this man. A vicious nausea pops out.
However, I. Casher possesses the blessed talent to to
settle [BAKHNEN] people, and even this VERIM-KNOYL is
also lovely. Jacob is one of the beautiful creations in
our Yiddish theatre. I have on the European stage, with
the best Ibsen actors, not seen such a complete figure,
such a sculptured
oysgehamerte,
so harmonically done, as I. Casher had
oysgemeystert.
In the 1925-1927 seasons C.
played in the Yiddish Art Theatre in the prominent role
in "Shaul hamelekh (Saul the King)" by Heyse, "Shekspir
un kompany (Shakespeare and Company)" by Charnov, "Der
luft-mentsh (The Air Merchant)" by Yoskewitz, "A shnirl
perl (A String of Pearls)" by Sholem Asch, "Der
krayd-tsirkl (The Chalk Cirlce) by Klabund, "Shmates
(Rags)" by Leivick, "Dem tsadiks nesie (The Saint's
Journey)" by Sackler, "Dos tsente gebot (The Tenth
Commandment) by Goldfaden, "Mendl spivak (Mendel Spivack)"
by Yoshkewitz, "Yoshke muzikant (Yoshke the Musician)"
and "Mentshn-shtoyb (Human Dust)" by Dymow, "Der veg tsu
lebn (The Way of Life)" by Gemirovitch-Dantshenko, and
"Reverend Dr. Silver" by Asch.
In 1927 he took over,
together with Isidore Buzet, the McKinley Square Theatre
(Bronx), where he played and was regisseur for a season
and performed in other plays: L. Kobrin's "Shunayim" and
"Dorfs-yung," Gordin's "Di emes'e kraft (The True
Power)" and "Unbekanter (The Unknown)," Gorki's "Meshtshane
(Middle-Class People) (with Rosetta Bialis in the main
roles).
Since the 1928-1929 season
C. continued with the Yiddish Art Theatre, excelling
especially in the benefit production of Gordin's "God,
Man and Devil" (as "Khatzkl drakhme"), I.J. Singer's "Yoshe
kalb" ("Kanebtrn") "Brider ashkenazi (The Brothers
Ashkenazi)" (as "Avraham Hersh"), and "Mishpakha
karnovsky (The Family Carnovsky)," Asch's "Dray shtet
(Three Cities)" ("Geler poyer"), Leivick's "Ver iz ver?
(Who is Who?)" (as "Doctor Ziro"), Zeitlin's "Esterke"
(as "Yerukhem"), Feuchtwanger's "Yozefus (Josephus) (as "Vespasian").
In 1931-1933 he played in
the Folks Theatre with the Germans and Menasha Skulnik
in Kalmanowitz's plays. [PAGE 2159]
In 1940 C. guest-starred for
ten weeks in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he played
(in the "Excelsior" Theatre), with Leojn Kobrin's "Bruder
kegn bruder (Brother Against Brother)" (as "Shunayim"),
M. Gorky's "Eltern un kinder (Parents and Children)" ("Meshtshane",
Gordin's "Di emes'e kraft (The True Power)", and
Kalmanowitz's "Der zayde gayt (The Grandfather
Goes?)." On separate evenings
C. played (in the "Soleil" Theatre) Gordin's "Khasye di
yesom (Chasia the Orphan)" (The role of "Matye
Shtreichl").
About his guest-starring,
Jacob Botoshansky writes:
"There is no reason to
keep that, in a guest role for us in Buenos Aires, that
he had no great success. His success is materially so
small, that a joke went around that the actors who had
played with him, had constantly call for this play to be
put on, that had a scene in which people ate. This seems
to be saying that the actors were unable to eat too much
of his guest-acting. Casher is for nature was not any
star, but a good actor. ...Everyday Casher was generally
awake?, and he needed to pack a rare role, which would
give him an opportunity to become a YOM-TUBDIK, he
played such a role at the end of his guest appearance,
when he played a kind-hearted grandfather in a
Kalmanowitz play. In this play he played a grandfather's
goodness."
About C.'s success in a
secondary role Dr. L. Zhitnitsky wrote:
"The correct Tetriev (?) (in
"Meshtshane") is Izidore Casher. It is a role in which
Izidore Casher revealed himself with his entire actorial
power, with everything his artistic characteristics and
abilities. ...without exaggeration ... The few nuances
grow into each other and reach the complete whole."
And Sh. Rozshanski
characterized his acting in this way:
"...Izidore Casher has
no literary mannerisms. He is, however, literary
according to his honest approach, according to his
immersing himself in interpretation of his roles. He is
one of the actors who act, as in life. A strict realist.
He is so strict realistically that he escapes the rhythm
of speech, or acting, if it can be sooner, as in life."
In the 1944-1945 season C.
played in the Yiddish Folks Theatre (directors Jacob
Ben-Ami and Joseph Green) in H. Leivick's "Nes in geto
(Miracle in the Ghetto)," and D. Bergelson's "Mir veln
lebn (We Will Live)." For the 1945-1946 season he
returned to the Art Theatre, acting in "Dray matones
(Three Gifts)" (as "Yokhanan the Water Carrier"), Sholem
Aleichem's "Blonjende shtern (Extinguished Stars)" (as "Rav
Sender"), Zahav's "Shylok un zayn tokhter (Shylock and
His Daughter" (as "Lancelot") etc.
C. participated in a series
of Yiddish films and moving pictures. As such he played
in Vienna (1924) in the film of H. Sackler's play "Yizkor,"
together with Maurice Schwartz and with the troupe of
the Yiddish Art Theatre. In 1926 he was in Z. Libin's "Gebrokhene
hertser (Broken Hearts)" (as the "Unhappy Bridegroom,"
with Maurice Schwartz, Anna Appel, et al.), and in Chaim
Tauber's "Der yidisher nigun (The Jewish Melody)"
(playing the role of "Cantor David Shapiro").
In 1938 C. was the dialogue
regisseur and played (PAGE 2160) the role of "Mendele Mokher Sefarim"
in the Yiddish sound film, "Di kliatshe (The Light
Ahead)" (based on Mendele's "Di kliatshe," "Fishke der
krumer (Fishel the Cripple)," "Di takse (The Taxi?)" and
"Der priziv (The Military Conscription?)," adapted by
Khaver Paver, director--Edgar G. Ulmer, technical
assistant Wolf Mercur: with the participation of Helen
Beverly, David Opatoshu, Rosetta Bialis, Jennie Casher,
Abraham Fishkind, Misha Fiszon, Wolf Goldfaden, Tillie
Rabinowitz, Celia Boodkin, Anna Guskin et al.)
About his playing "Mendele,"
Jacob Botoshansky writes:
"He was, in the
character, the perfect look of our wise and shrewd
grandfathers. The grandfather is after all, it was
obviously longer, like Greber [?], and Casher [IZ OAKH
BFIRUSH GEVEN BREBER, VI LENGER], and [FUNDESTVEGN HAT
ER IM OYKH OYSERLEKH GECHAPT.] And perhaps more
externally, than inwards....Izidore Casher has moved the
measures in sentimentality from Mendele's point of view,
like some good-hearted grandfather."
C. also participated in the
"Forward Summer Follies," where he played and directed
scenes and one-acters and also used to perform by
recitations from Sholem Asch's "Der mamzer (The
Bastard)," Avraham Viviorka's "Di aveyre (The
Transgression?)," etc.
C. was on the Executive
Board of the Yiddish [Hebrew] Actors' Union, and for a
single season he was President and Vice-President, a
co-founder of the Yiddish Theatre Museum, a co-founder
of the [Yiddish] Theatrical Alliance, a member of the
committee of the "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre," and
used to actively participate in organizing various
celebrations of the Yiddish Theatre profession.
About his last years with
the Yiddish Theatre, Joseph Rumshinsky recalls:
"Izidore Casher
recently complained strongly about his financial
condition, that because of the short theatre season, it
is hard for him to make a living for his family, VERND
other actors is much easier to earn; they go on
banquets, weddings, in the summer they are in and
playing in the summer places. He fought for a time with
himself, until he decided that he will go to private
undertakings. He was an entertainer at banquets. After a
banquet he declared: 'My career as an entertainer
(benefit) began yesterday, and has at the same time
ended. When I am standing and FARGETRAGN PRTS a poem, IZ
FARBEYGENGANGEN waiter passes by with a tray of
chickens. My eyes became dark to him. I had barely ended
the poem and am out through the back door. No, it is not
for me. Jacob P. Adler and David Kessler were not going
to entertain [in this way], at banquets and weddings,
Maurice Schwartz also did not do this. I would rather
die a poor actor, before a rich entertainer.' "
And about the condition of
his health, Zalmen Zylbercweig recalls:
"The audience did not notice
that Casher, who is always identifiable by everyone as a
strong man, because of his massive figure and his steady
pace, as well as his depth, a steady voice, were
mentioned in something strong, TECHTIKES, (end of page 2160)
mentioned in the last years was a dangerous patient.
However it was a secret to the tens of thousands of
Jewish theatergoers who still admired him only a few
weeks ago (before his death) as the 'Shabes Goy,' The
servant Lancelot in the drama, 'Shylock and his
Daughter' was well-known in his own ranks. Every day you
could tell when he was 'falling.' He became weaker and
weaker, but he had not lost his humor."
On 15 April 1948 C. passed
away in New York and came to his eternal rest in the
cemetery plot of the Yiddish Theatrical Alliance [Mount
Hebron Cemetery -- ed.].
C.'s wife, Jennie, was a
Yiddish actress.
Zeltn-Ven,
in his so simple criticism about an actor, as she is in
the evaluation of Izidore Casher. Dr. A. Mukdoni thus
writes:
"In life a quiet, a quieter,
and almost silent and on stage full of unease, filled
with an effervescent power. in life bearish, cold, and
apathetic in his movements, and on the stage a volcano
that is filled with creative chills (SHAFUNGS-TSITER].
In life there are [ZAYNEN ZAYN VERTER HALBE], dark, and
on the stage they are such full-mouthed, such wide, such
colorful and such a KNALIKE. ...Isidore Casher plays
with all his RM"KH ABRIM. A remarkable transformational
ability is possessed by this actor. It is not only a
mask, it is not only FARSHTELENISH, and it is not only
BAHELMENISH under a strange kaftan. There is complete
enlightenment. ...He creates an entire person, he
creates open people, entirely in gravity, often in their
lack thereof. ....broad and strongly built, full-blooded
and his people are kind."
And Zalmen Zylbercweig:
"Izidore Casher began his
theatre career in the former, old Yiddish Theatre, ...
where the high, melodramatic tone and noisy
gesticulations were the KEN-ZSEYCHNS of a great actor.
And he would have stayed with this kind of acting, He
would in no way have achieved the popularity in
preparing the Yiddish theatre audience, and the
recognition of the general Yiddish public. With Casher
was the miracle of the natural instinct that he has
adapted for the better, for the pure, Yiddish Art
Theatre. ...Here he had the opportunity for artistic
OYSTSULEBEN. In the 'Yiddish Art Theatre,' where Casher
had played in for a span of more than twenty years,
...He reached the highest point, which he would ever
reach as a performer. Casher naturally felt a sense of
community and perfection, that he had begun to reflect
on and AREYNGRIBLEN in the characters, who he had needed
to create.... endowed by nature with a good diction, a
deep breast tone and a strong organ, a fitting figure
for various characters, a playable face, he had the
natural features united with the good will to create.
This match brought about his artistic achievements. ..He
was expressive non-Yiddish roles. He was to endure in
the role of Prostakes, BELI-GUFIM, the noble, GETSERTLTE,
soulful human being."
Jacob Mestel:
"Casher -- a Chasid and student of the great Jacob P.
Adler with his theatrical sentimentalities, and yet so
loaded with heavy-handed idleness of Adler's permanent
chimney sweep [SHITHKENGER] -- David Kessler. Starting
from primitive, PRIMITIVKEYT is his core. ...But also
the gentle tone is not strange to him: his 'Yonah' (in "Betler
[Beggars]" Is devoid of practical wisdom and honesty;
his 'Sender Brinitser' (in 'Dybbuk') is tender threads
of fatherly concern [which] are breaking down. ...His 'Yevenukh'
(in 'Chalk Circle'), and his 'Booth Director' (in 'Hinkemann'),
who even weaves fantastic and unconscious expression."
Sholem Perlmutter:
"...He has enriched
the Yiddish stage with his entire gallery of forms.
Nature gave him a keen eye for human sentiments, for
human passion, for human struggles, for human types and
characters, and he has brought them out in various plays
for us on the stage. ...Izidore Casher presented [BALAGT]
to select actors who enjoyed equal recognition by both
the critics and the general theatre audience."
Chaim Ehrenreich:
"...Casher speaks with a
full tone -- brusque, sure, concrete, and he leaves an
impression, and more than an impression -- also mood.
...His art is cool in itself, a richness of tenor,
shamefulness no less, as light without a wealth of
nuances. ... He is sincere in his art."
Jacob Botoshansky:
"At best he was able to
play a heroic villager, who seems honest and sincere,
even when it comes out to kill him. ...Izidore Casher
probably has a strong love to act well. ...In Peretz's
'Three Gifts' he plays the angel who accompanies the
soul, who hasn't any TIKKUN and strays. ...From him he
alone has created the goodness. ...He loved the full
sound and the open and prominent faces. He was one of
the most theatrical Yiddish actors."
Maurice Schwartz:
"Izidore Casher, like David
Kessler, was an unpolished diamond, a raw power who with
his natural temperament knew how to rule to stage. ...I
really don't know who will be able to play his rare
types, who he had created and OYSGESHAFT worked up BIZN
DNA. In the more than twenty four seasons that he has
played in the Art Theatre, he has played large and
important roles, which had brought him glory both by the
critics and the theatre public. ..In Leivick's 'Beggars'
and 'The Seven Who Were Hanged,' Casher created two rare
forms, which will long remain in memory. ...His best
creations were: the father in 'The Brothers Ashkenazi,'
the gravedigger in 'Yoshke Kalb,' Vera the Butcher
in Rolland's Wolves,' and David Carnovsky in "The Family
(top of page 2163) Carnovsky.' ...For me he continually
was the serious-toiling actor who worked hard in a
role."
And Morris Myer writes:
"A character actor with a
lot of dramatic power in Maurice Schwartz's Art Theatre
is Izidore Casher. Here he was (in London) three times.
he excelled strongly as 'The Minister' in 'Di zibn
gehangene (The Seven Who Were Hanged.') He brought out
their distinct illness, cowardice, and fear of death. He
also played 'Engstrand' in "The Ghosts' very well. He
very much succeeded in expressing the hypocrisy and
falsehoods of that type. Izidore Casher brilliantly
played 'Kone the Gravedigger' in 'Yoshe Kalb.' This was
a monumental piece of vitality. So much deep expression
and movement. Each movement has characterized the
gravedigger. With masterful simplicity he has acted as
'Avraham Hersh,' the father of 'The Brothers Ashkenazi.'
With sincere inner characteristics he expressed the
feeling of 'Yiddishkayt (Jewishness)' and integrity. It
has always been a pleasure to see Casher play a father,
or some other character role."
M.E. and M.E.
from Wolf Mercur and Rosetta Bialis.
-
Alter Epstein --
Interesante momentn fun aktoren lebn, "Der tog,"
N.Y., 10 November 1918.
-
Jacob Mestel -- Ver
zaynen di kinstler fun dem nyu-yorker idishn
kunst-teater?, "Di tsayt," London, 3 April 1924.
-
Dr. A. Mukdoni -- "Teater,"
N.Y., 1927, pp. 166-72.
-
Y.M. (Jacob Mestel)
-- Izidor keshir, "Teater un kunst," April 1927.
-
M. Osherowitch -- "Dovid
kesler un muni veyzenfraynd," N.Y., 1930, pp. 10,
129, 228.
-
A.H. Bialin -- "Moris
shvartz un der idisher kunst-teater." N.Y., 1934,
pp. 66, 69.
-
Shmuel Roszhanski --
Izidor keshirs debut in "Bruder gegen bruder," "Idishe
tsaytung," Buenos Aires, 1 July 1940.
-
Dr. L. Zhitinitsky --
Der debut fun izidor kesir, "Di prese, Buenos Aires,
1 July 1940.
-
Wolf Bressler -- "Bruder
kegn bruder," "Morgntsaytung," Buenos Aires, 1 July
1940.
-
Sholem Perlmutter --
Der populerer idisher shoyshpiler izidor keshir, "Di
prese," Buenos Aires, 5 July 1940.
-
Zalmen Zylbercweig --
An iberike rekomendatsye, "Di idishe tsaytung,"
Buenos Aires, 7 July 1940.
-
Chaim Ehrenreich --
Izidor keshir, "Der shpigl," Buenos Aires, 12 July
1940.
-
Moshe Kaufman --
Maxim gorky's meysterverk in idishn teater, "Morgntsaytung,"
Buenos Aires, 15 July 1940.
-
Dr. L. Zhitnitsky --
"Eltern un kinder," "Di prese," Buenos Aires, 16
July 1940.
-
Sh. Roszhanski --
Teater-bletlakh, "Idishe tsaytung," Buenos Aires, 29
August 1940.
-
N. Buchwald -- "Teater,"
N.Y., 1943, pp. 265, 382, 405.
-
Joesph Rumshinsky --
"Klangen fun mayn lebn," N.Y., 1944, pp. 726-32.
-
Morris Myer -- "Idish
teater in london," London, pp. 304-5.
-
Gershon Einbinder (Khaver
Paver) -- Izidor keshir dertsaylt vi azoy adler hot
im gemakht far an actor, "Morgn-frayhayt," N.Y., 27
September 1945.
-
Abraham Teitelbaum --
Sholem aleichem oyf der bine, "Yidishe kultur,"
N.Y., May 1946.
-
Jacob Mestel --
Mendele mokher seforim oyf der bine, dort, December
1946.
-
[--] -- Izidor keshir,
barimter shoyshpiler, geshtorbn, "Forward," New
York, 16 April 1948.
-
Jacob Botoshansky --
Tsvishn yo un gayn, "Di prese," Buenos Aires, 18
April 1948.
-
Maurice Schwartz --
Izidor keshir, "Forward," N.Y., 20 April 1948.
-
Joseph Rumshinsky --
Erinerungen un charakter-shtrichn fun dem goysn
aktor izidor keshir, "Forward," N.Y., 23 April 1948.
-
Zalmen Zylbercweig --
Der toyt fun izidor keshir a riziker klap far der
idisher bine, "Di idishe tsaytung," Buenos Aires, 5
May 1948.
-
Boaz Young -- "Mayn
lebn in teater," N.Y., 1950, p. 65.
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