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Culture Theatre

My Name Is Asher Lev is earnest, dutiful and dull

MY NAME IS ASHER LEV by Aaron Posner from the novel by Chaim Potok (Harold Green Jewish Theatre/Studio 180). At the Toronto Centre for the Arts (5040 Yonge). Runs to November 26. $15-$90.40. 1-855-985-2787. See listing. Rating: NN

Earlier this year we saw Aaron Posners irreverent, F-bomb-laden adaptation of The Seagull entitled Stupid Fucking Bird which felt fresh and urgent.

Its hard to believe hes the same guy behind Studio 180/Harold Green Jewish Theatres My Name Is Asher Lev, an earnest, dutiful adaptation of Chaim Potoks acclaimed novel.

Mind you, its hard to add layers of contemporary irony onto Potoks book, a coming-of-age story about the eponymous Asher Lev (Jonas Chernick), an artistic prodigy in 1950s Brooklyn who soon finds his creative inspiration clashing with his Hasidic Jewish community particularly his devout parents (Ron Lea and Sarah Orenstein).

Posners adaptation features a lot of telling Chernick, a fine TV and film actor making his Toronto stage debut, repeatedly recites the title, and announces how old his character is resulting in a narrative that has little momentum or urgency.

Until, that is, the end, when Asher, having travelled to Florence and Paris and studied with a tough-talking artist named Jacob Kahn (Lea), is set to open an exhibit that will displease his parents.

The theme of how an artist deals with the society hes depicting is a universal one, and director Joel Greenberg directs a handsome, tasteful production designed by Brandon Kleiman (sets and costumes) and Kimberly Purtell (lights).

But tasteful and handsome dont always result in vivid theatre. Despite committed performances, the story doesnt come alive onstage. Id rather read Asher Levs story and its sequel within the pages of a book.

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