REVIEW OF JRT “ROSE”

Last week I attended the play called “Rose” produced by the Jewish Repertoire Theatre. As with all plays performed at the JRT that I attended, the atmosphere was professional, warm and welcoming.

Rose played by Tina Rausa is sitting Shiva in her home in Miami Beach. The way she gazes at the flame the Yahrzeit candle sets the mood for what is to come.

In vivid detail, she recounts the closeness she had for her brother growing up, and a deep love she had for her future husband; the man with a glass eye. With the onslaught of the Pogroms, she relocated to Warsaw, Poland shortly before the breakout of World War 2. In bitterness, she recalls the death of her daughter, who was murdered by the Nazis while trying to ask for a little bit of food. The anguish she felt was on full display after she remembers her husband being dragged away, never knowing if he survived or not.

Within the depths of darkness, Rose takes us to a place of love and hope. She met her second husband during a failed attempt to make it to Palestine. The warmth in her eyes is so vivid as she recalls the day a baby girl was born to them. 

The tale takes a dark turn once again as her husband becomes sick and dies; with it the hopes of moving to Israel. Nevertheless, her love of Israel stays strong as she supports the Land of Israel in any way she can.

As a single mother, she supported herself and her daughter by opening a successful restaurant business in Miami Beach. As could only happen to Rose, on a trip out west she bumps into a man with only one eye. We do not know if it is her first husband or not, but it certainly was a powerful scene. The whole tale of her emotional journey culminates perfectly at the end of the play when she sits down to listen to Yiddish music. Only the melodies of Yiddish music could encapsulate the life of Rose. 

Without any supporting cast, it is very difficult for the tone of a play to be set properly in a one-person show. Tina Rausa’s portrayal of rose not only set the proper tone but raised the bar to an exceptional level; as, the play certainly touched on heartstrings and relatable sentiments of the audience.

I’d like to thank the Jewish Repertoire Theatre for giving us a remarkable piece of art. I thoroughly enjoyed this performance and strongly recommend it to the community.

Nathan Sull

Publisher