Stéphane Bittoun & Gregor Praml: JEWS UNDERCOVER. Eine szenisch-musikalische Lesung

In the 1960s, an oriental Jew manages to pull off an espionage coup in Syria's highest government circles under a false identity. He will pay for it with his life ... At the end of the 19th century, a young woman disguises herself as a man so that she can study at a Talmud school. And in 1945, what was once Berlin's most famous clown only survives the concentration camp by living as a dog, barking and making men, amusing the sadistic camp commandant ... Frankfurt director, author and dubbing artist Stéphane Bittoun has woven these and other, partly true, Jewish stories into a scenic-musical evening: about the often vital, mostly dangerous and sometimes fun game with identity: "Jews Undercover." Because acting undercover means remaining inconspicuous, flying under the radar, camouflaged and sometimes under different identities. Is this game with identity a specifically Jewish phenomenon? Even a Jewish talent? A burden? A blessing or a curse? Bittoun invites us on a journey through films, novels and short stories. He has combed through newspaper archives, the Bible and intimate diaries in Israel and does not even stop at his own family history.

Whether as a disguise for Purim or to escape persecution and murder. Whether out of conformity or as an agent on a secret mission. And sometimes also to adopt different perspectives and to be able to understand the many levels of reality. In the spirit of the Kabbalah ... Undercover is a survival principle. The evening ranges from screamingly funny stories by modern Israeli authors such as Etgar Keret to tales of over-assimilation by Jews in Europe in the early 20th century and curious anecdotes about covert operations by the Israeli secret service. And the clandestine double life of the street cats in Tel Aviv is also revealed on this evening ...

Bittoun blends reading with acting and film projections - and, as in the brilliant big city reading "Taxi Driver", performs in a not entirely unusual line-up with double bassist Gregor Praml, who once again provides congenial musical accompaniment in this program. And no matter how much sailor's yarn seems to be spun into it, each of the stories always conveys a spark of truth ... Idea, direction and reading: Stéphane Bittoun. Music: Gregor Praml

In cooperation with the Jewish Community Frankfurt as part of the Jewish Culture Weeks 2025.