Yakish and Puptche
A Dismal Comedy
I am lonely, I am miserable, I am going mad, I am burning up, I have no woman because I am profoundly ugly and I have no money to cover up the ugliness. I wouldn’t mind giving up on it all, but unfortunately I’m a very healthy man. My heart wants a spot in the sun, I have desires and aspirations, which means I can’t even despair. In short, whichever way you turn me over—absolute destruction!
Translated by: Jessica Cohen
Premiere:
1986
Directed by:
Hanoch Levin
Theatre:
The Cameri Theatre
Number of characters: 17
Subjects:
Relationships,
Sex
Costume and stage design: Ruth Dar
Original music: Foldi Shatzman
Lighting: Haim Tkhelet
Participants: Aharon Almog - Yakish; Misha Natan - He-Hushpish; Dvora Keidar: She-Hushpish; Geta Munte: Poupche; Yossef Carmon - He-Khroupche; Aliza Rosen - She-Khroupche; Yitshak Hizkia - Haftun; Albert Cohen - Leibach; Zaharira Harifai - Forzedes; Yossi Graber - Torqwelt, Troplague; Yoni Prior - Shampinje; Yaakov Cohen - Undertaker, He-Noshagi, Servant; David Williams - Shigano, Servant; Dov Navon - She Nogashi, Servant; Olivia Apelbaum - Servant; Pablo Salzman - Servant
Musicians: Misha Blecherovitz - piano; Itamar Argov/Shuki Wolfus - trumpet; Yaakov Furman - saxophone, violin; Nava Gefen - bassoon, mandoline, clarinet
A comedy about Yakish, an ugly poor lad who unwittingly marries Poupche who is ugly as a crocodile. When the two fail to fulfil the holy obligation of consummation since Poupche's unaesthetic appearance prevents Yakish from managing an erection, a surreal journey is set in motion involving the bride and groom's parents, a matchmaker, and a prostitute (who is "hardly what she seems"), all trying to bring ugly and ugly together in marital necessity.
Additional productions
Gesher Theatre, Israel (2007) / Directed by Arie Yevgeni and Shimon Mimran
Productions abroad
2010 Geneva, Switzerland
2012 Riga, Latvia
This work was translated to: Polish, French
French éditions Théâtrales, France (2008)
Polish ADIT Publishing, Poland (2015)