Review: Clever and hilarious, new Sask. play makes triumphant debut

Do you want literal laugh-out-loud comedy? Genuine dialogue? Characters so relatable you’ll find yourself or someone you know closely among the cast, even if you’re not Jewish? Look no further.

18 Jews Order Chinese Food is enjoying its world-premiere run at Persephone Theatre, but if the quality of the show is any indication this premiere will be the first of many productions to come.

The show does not hesitate even for a moment. The lights have barely come up on the first scene before chaos reigns as three generations of a Jewish family scramble to prepare themselves for the patriarch Jack’s funeral (and order some Chinese food — but not any of those bundles, we want variety).

We are greeted to the madcap family dynamics right away: matriarch and recently widowed Chavi (Lisa Bayliss) trying to keep order in both her house and her world with daughter Sharon (Aviva Armour-Ostroff), son-in-law Lior (Brian Linds), granddaughters Nami and Kiva (Miranda Hughes-McKnight and Katie Moore) and Nami’s non-Jewish partner Ben (Andrew Taylor).

Playwright Jenna Berenbaum magnificently balances ideas of tradition with humanity: when do our traditions matter, when can we let go, and what really makes us who we are. Their weaving of Jewish tradition into the show was done invitingly, with both humour and grace. It was to the point that I was Googling Jewish words after the show, not because the show was confusing for having them but rather to gain a little more insight into both the rituals and the hijinks occurring onstage. Taylor as Ben played the part of the unknowing newcomer into the Jewish family with charm and affability that helped bring the audience into some of these traditions without making anyone feel lesser or confused.