David Rose: Our Hebrew Friend

Tue, 17 Mar - Sun, 22 Mar  

 The Squeaker at Gluttony - Rymill Park

David Rose, according to Ancestry. com is 15% Ashkenazi Jew. For the uninitiated, this is a Jewish diaspora population originating from the Rhine River in Germany and Northern France, representing the majority of the world's Jewish population today. Rose has a ‘very Jewish’ wife and mother-in-law, had a Jewish wedding, attended a Catholic school, and is not circumcised. The things that you learn in 50 minutes! All in all, his Jewish pedigree is rather like being ‘a little bit pregnant’!

He does, however, hold the comedic heritage trump card, being the great-grandson of one of the world’s most famous, and well-paid early 20th century Jewish comedians, Julian Rose. Julian was not a Jewish impersonator, but was a Jewish comic who harnessed, and challenged the still often referred to Jewish stereotype of Fagin from Dickens ‘Oliver Twist’. Known as a Hebrew impersonator, he created an upper-class Jewish persona that was neither ill-educated or coarse, appearing at the London Tivoli, Royal Variety and Russian royal court concerts. 

Rose has a relaxed style akin to that of Jerry Seinfeld. The humour appears to be an almost incidental part of his carefully researched story, appearing to be ‘off the cuff’, but in fact, incisively planned and planted. Yes, there are obvious byplays with the audience, including engaging in a chat with a non- Jewish boyfriend, now dubbed as a ‘goy-friend’(a non-Jew or gentile). But the show is structured so that humour is used to underline a complex story and gently poke and prod assumptions and beliefs about what it is to be Jewish, then, and now.

This show, presented in a laconic Aussie style is engaging, relevant, non-threatening and reflective of both Australian wit, and the unique Jewish idiom.  He also avoids focussing on the poignant and painful but can not resist joking about first-responders at the tragic Bondi shooting during the Jewish festival of Hannukah last year, being thanked by giving them a ham.

Rose deserves a good size audience to interact with who appreciate this unique, funny and timely story. The season is short, and ironically is performed in The Squeaker, a ‘pig-themed’ open air venue. Rose is not yet ‘on a pig's back’, but this show really does ‘bring home the comedy bacon’.

Jude Hines