Shmendrik
Encyclopedia
Shmendrik, oder Die komishe Chaseneh (Schmendrik or The Comical Wedding) is an 1877 comedy by Abraham Goldfaden
, one of the earliest and most enduring pieces in Yiddish theater. The title role of Shmendrik was originally written for the young Sigmund Mogulesko
, and derived from a character Mogulesko did when auditioning for Goldfaden earlier that year. The role was later famously played by actress Molly Picon
.
The play is loosely based on an earlier Romanian language
play, Vlăduţu Mamei (Mama's Boy), transferred to a setting in a family of Hasidic Jews, a milieu that was a standard butt of humor among the "enlightened" Jews of the Haskalah
.
The secondary title is a pun on The Chymical Wedding, one of the major works of Johannes Valentinus Andreae
(1586–1654), a founding work of Rosicrucian
ism.
According to Jacob Adler
, the play was such a sensation that a year after it was first performed in Bucharest
, when Israel Rosenberg
set about presenting it as the second play of his newly formed Yiddish theater troupe in Odessa
, "Shmendrik" had already passed into the Yiddish language
, both as a term of affection and derision, but also as slang for a sneeze, for money, and for the police.
Abraham Goldfaden
Abraham Goldfaden ; was an Russian-born Jewish poet, playwright, stage director and actor in the languages Yiddish and Hebrew, author of some 40 plays.Goldfaden is considered the father of the Jewish modern theatre.In 1876 he founded in...
, one of the earliest and most enduring pieces in Yiddish theater. The title role of Shmendrik was originally written for the young Sigmund Mogulesko
Sigmund Mogulesko
Sigmund Mogulesko — Yiddish: זעליק מאָגולעסקאָ Zelik Mogulesko, first name also sometimes given as Zigmund, Siegmund, Zelig, or Selig, last name sometimes spelled Mogulescu — was a singer, actor, and composer in the Yiddish theater, originally from Kalarash, Bessarabia Sigmund...
, and derived from a character Mogulesko did when auditioning for Goldfaden earlier that year. The role was later famously played by actress Molly Picon
Molly Picon
Molly Picon was an American actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a lyricist and dramatic storyteller....
.
The play is loosely based on an earlier Romanian language
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
play, Vlăduţu Mamei (Mama's Boy), transferred to a setting in a family of Hasidic Jews, a milieu that was a standard butt of humor among the "enlightened" Jews of the Haskalah
Haskalah
Haskalah , the Jewish Enlightenment, was a movement among European Jews in the 18th–19th centuries that advocated adopting enlightenment values, pressing for better integration into European society, and increasing education in secular studies, Hebrew language, and Jewish history...
.
The secondary title is a pun on The Chymical Wedding, one of the major works of Johannes Valentinus Andreae
Johannes Valentinus Andreae
Johannes Valentinus Andreae , a.k.a. Johannes Valentinus Andreä or Johann Valentin Andreae, was a German theologian, who claimed to be the author of the Chymische Hochzeit Christiani Rosencreutz anno 1459 one of the three founding works of...
(1586–1654), a founding work of Rosicrucian
Rosicrucian
Rosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society, said to have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. It holds a doctrine or theology "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe...
ism.
According to Jacob Adler
Jacob Pavlovich Adler
Jacob Pavlovich Adler , born Yankev P. Adler, was a Jewish actor and star of Yiddish theater, first in Odessa, and later in London and New York City....
, the play was such a sensation that a year after it was first performed in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, when Israel Rosenberg
Israel Rosenberg
Israel Rosenberg founded the first Yiddish theater troupe in Imperial Russia....
set about presenting it as the second play of his newly formed Yiddish theater troupe in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, "Shmendrik" had already passed into the Yiddish language
Yiddish language
Yiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
, both as a term of affection and derision, but also as slang for a sneeze, for money, and for the police.
Synopsis
Shmendrik is an idiotic and clueless mama's boy, a hopelessly poor student at a religious school, whose mother is completely blind to his faults. The main plot is set in motion when his mother arranges a marriage for him; the girl in question is not only appropriately appalled by Shmendrik, but is already in love with someone else. The plot, of course, centers on how she will evade the inappropriate marriage and be reunited with her true love.Trivia
- Schmendrick is the name of a magician in The Last UnicornThe Last UnicornThe Last Unicorn is a fantasy novel written by Peter S. Beagle and published in 1968. It has sold more than five million copies worldwide since its original publication, and has been translated into at least twenty languages....
. - The term Schmendrik was introduced by Ron PalilloRon PalilloRonald Gabriel "Ron" Palillo is an American television and film actor, perhaps best known for his role as high school student Arnold Dingfelder Horshack on the ABC sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, which aired from 1975 to 1979....
to millions of household television viewers in the character Horshak of the sitcom series Welcome Back Kotter. - Radio talk show host Michael Savage sometimes uses the word "shmendrik" on air when referencing members of his staff and other people he believes to be lesser beings than himself.