The Dybbuk: wandering souls of the Vilna Troupe and Habimah theatre

Abstract

The article considers the notion of migration from three different perspectives: transmigration, migrating identities, and nomadic theatre. These perspectives are revealed with the example of the history of the most famous Jewish play The Dybbuk. The first part discusses the relationship of the play to the discourse of immortality and life between the worlds. The second one reveals An-sky’s personality and his complex identity search that led him to the creation of this play. The third part presents the nomadic lifestyle of two Jewish troupes: The Vilna Troupe and Habimah. They became famous because of their interpretations of the play in Yiddish and Hebrew languages. Finally, the interpretations of The Dybbuk of these two troupes are compared so that the symbols and meanings that corresponded to the audience’s expectations would be revealed.