Camden Fringe 2024: The Wise Men of Chelm at Camden People’s Theatre

The Wise Men of Chelm is a humorous one-hander that presents five brief portrayals of Jewish males in just over 60 minutes. Its title refers to Jewish folklore centred on supposedly wise men who frequently find ludicrous solutions to different problems. In this modern take, the “wise men” are people from diverse walks of life exploring their masculinity in various ways.

None of the characterisations are particularly deep or serious; it’s largely played for laughs, despite some of the darker themes that are tackled. John is an arrogant Londoner who thinks way too highly of himself, loves his mother too much, and whose central conflict in life centres around whether it’s still acceptable to enjoy Kanye West’s music; Mordy is an American camp counsellor who tries a little too hard to be liked by the children; Aaron is a flamboyant boy coming to grips with his approaching Bar Mitzvah; Yoni is a parody of Ben Shapiro at his worst; and the last is a teacher giving detention who gets too involved with the students.

All characters are presented by Yaya As, who seamlessly switches from role to role in a performance that requires immense flexibility. Their comedic timing is strong and they demonstrate nuance in conjuring certain characteristics in the diverse cast – such as the nervous laughter in Aaron or Yoni’s quick-paced speaking.

The heart of the play is the exploration of Jewish values, many of which are touched upon here, although at times some topics could have been explored in greater depth – such as Aaron’s homosexuality in a conservative setting or John’s apparent struggles with being Jewish at all. It’s simply the result of such a breadth of characters: it offers variety and enjoyment, but detracts from what might have been done.

But this only mars what is a lovely piece of fringe theatre to a small extent. Directed by Lara Robinson, it’s an enjoyable experience well worth a look.

Michael Higgs
Photos: Brandon Hepworth for Bones Productions

The Wise Men of Chelm is at Camden People’s Theatre from 12^th until 13^th August 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.