Set in a 1930s radio studio, I Married a Golem! opens with static from the vintage radio. The rag-tag troupe of actor-musicians are seated in a semi-circle and costumed to evoke a past era. Then the X-Files theme song plays on the accordion, sparking a round of giggles from the audience. I Married a Golum!, presented by Shtetl Home Companion Productions and in collaboration with Congregation B’nai B’rith, shines its brightest while blending the traditional with modern pop-culture references such as a casually delivered contemporary phrase or a particularly well-placed joke that mirrors modern day immigration issues.
The plot is fable-like with plenty of puns. Eva, the show’s protagonist (played charmingly by Lillian Mimi McKenzie) is a dutiful daughter whose love for a local ice sculptor is shoved to the side when her father marries her off to a beast-slash-gangster made of clay — a golem originally created to protect the community that has since gone rogue. With themes reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast (with a little Phantom thrown in), this is a unique take on the girl-meets-monster trope.
The original score is a highlight, which is no surprise considering the impressive musical pedigree of the ensemble, and is centered around Jewish klezmer — a spirited variety of traditional folk music, presented here by Kalinka. The few old-fashioned Foley effects woven into the production were especially entertaining and well-suited to both the live music and the radio-play style of performance.
Based on the Borscht-Belt comedy of the Catskills entertainment scene, not all jokes in the play landed — possibly due to slower-than-desired pacing and delivery. While the show would benefit from a somewhat livelier performance, the originality of this ensemble-based work and the skill of the musicians at the helm made I Married a Golem! just over an hour of enjoyable storytelling and entertainment.