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"PIAT" [Parizer yidisher
arbeter-teater (Paris-Yiddish Workers Theatre)] was
organized in 1933 by the progressives of the Eastern
Europe immigrant, Jewish workers in Paris, with the
purpose of elevating the state of Yiddish theatre and
developing the Yiddish theatre arts among the broader
masses.
Exploiting the situation,
after the guest-starring appearance of the "Vilna
Troupe" in Paris, several of the actors from the troupe
remained there and "PIAT" engaged as regisseur and
actor Jakob Kurlender of the "Vilna Troupe" who staged several one-acters
with the group.
The second regisseur of "PIAT",
who was also a member of the "Vilna Troupe", A. Y (Jakob)
Mansdorf, stage directed the offering "Shrey, Khine",
a program of Tretyakov's play "Shrey in
oysbeserungs-hoyz".
Also the third regisseur of
"PIAT", David Licht, was a member of the "Vilna Troupe".
He staged in the summer of 1937, "Dos far'khishuf'te
shnayderl" [built around Sholem Aleichem's "A mesh on an ek",
according to the direction of Jakob Shternberg], I. L.
Peretz's " In polish oyf der keyt" (music -- H.
Berlinski, dance -- Jan Arlen), and on 14 October 1937
M. Kulbak's "Boytre".
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David
Bergelson's "Der toyber" (The Simchas Torah
Feast), staged by Jacob Rotbaum in Paris' "Piat".
(First row: Kaner, Sh. Mirels, A. Fuks, A.
Abramovitsh, Y. Shtorkh and Enden.
Second row: L. Lenski, L. Troyonavski, A.
Lipinski and Kh. Flam). |
In 1938 Jacob Rotbaum was
engaged as the regisseur and staged: on 1 November
1938, in the "Antreop" Theatre, David Bergelson's "Broytmil"
(settings by Andre Pronashko); on 15 January 1939, in
"Key Valmi", H. Leivik's "Di oreme melkukha" (settings by
Borvin-Frenkl), and in April 1939, in the "Lankri"
Theatre -- "Yidishe glikn" [according to "Luft-parnoses"
by F. Arones] (settings -- Chaim Kalman, music --
Herman Berlinski, songs -- L. Litvak and dance -- Elza
Beker).
During the time of
the "folks-front" in France, the name of the theatre, not
changing the middle initials, became known as "Parizer
yidisher avagard-theater (Paris-Yiddish Avant-Garde
Theatre)".
The membership of "PIAT"
consisted of the following workers and craftsmen: men --
Abramowitz, Breyer, Herman, Tenenbaum, Lensky, Endin,
Fuks, Tsimlikh, Kipnis, Kinman, Jack Konar, Kimelfeld,
Rothstein, Stark and Simeon Mirels. Women -- Anka, Rivka
Gomer, Tankel, Sokol, Flam and Klos.
After their premières, the
productions used to travel over to theatres or other
locations, and also took place during the first months
of the World War, even with the light regulations
against air raids ("blackouts") in Paris. When the
largest part of the male personnel was mobilized into
the army, the productions were interrupted once in
February 1940.
M. E. from
Jacob Rotbaum.
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Yankev (Jacob)
Botoshansky -- Tsvishn forhang un leyvnt, "Di prese",
Buenos Aires, 25 June 1937.
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"Ershter alveltlekher
yidisher kultur-kongres" [Paris, 1937], pp. 201,
209.
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Irma Kanfer --
Zydowski Teatr Awangardu w Paryzu, "Chwila", Krakow,
15. IV. 1938.
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T. Elski -- A
geshprekh mit yankev rotbaum, dem nayem rezhiser fun
"piat", "Naye prese", Paris, October 1938.
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Yankev Rotbaum --
Bergelsons "broytmil" in "piat", "Naye prese",
Paris, 27 October 1938.
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T. Elski -- Ven
rotbaym rezhisirt di "broytmil", dort.
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A. Galitsian -- "Broytmil"
in "piat", "Naye prese", Paris, 1 November 1938.
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Yankev Rotbaum -- "Oreme melukhe"
fun h. leivick in "piat", "Naye prese", Paris, 13
January 1939.
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B. Meyer -- Oyf a repetitsye fun
der "oremer melukhe", "Naye prese", Paris, 10
January 1939.
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T. E--ski -- Wielki sukces
rezysera Jakuba Rotbauma w Paryzu, "Nasz Przeglad",
Warszawa, 25. II. 1939.
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A. Glitsian -- "eiviks "oreme
melukhe" baym "piat", "Naye prese", Paris, 20
January 1939.
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N. Frank -- "Di oreme mlukhh", "Parizer
haynt", 20 January 1939.
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A. Galitsin -- "Yidishe glikn" in
"piat", "Naye prese", Paris, 21 April 1939.
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