Catch Yentl at the Sydney Opera House, presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre, Monstrous Theatre and Neil Gooding Productions in association with Shalom. Hailed as “beautiful and profound” by The Age, this compelling production brings to life a timeless story with a fresh perspective.
We’re thrilled to see one of our very own ACA graduates, Amy Hack, in the lead role. In this very special graduate interview, Amy shares her insights into why this story resonates today, what the rehearsal journey entailed, and offers valuable audition tips for aspiring actors.
Read on to dive behind the scenes of Yentl and discover Amy’s journey to the spotlight.
ACA: Congratulations! How did you land the role of Yentl?
Amy: Thank you! A self-tape for the role came through while I was touring in Perth with another show. I knew immediately that if I managed to get this role it would be one of the biggest gifts of my creative life—no pressure. I then came in for an in-person call back in Melbourne with the director before our Malthouse season. I felt so passionately for the character and about the story, which meant I could throw all of that into the audition and see if any of it sticks. And the rest is history.
ACA: Why is Yentl’s story important to tell?
Amy: Yentl tells the story of a person bravely defying the rules of their society and risking everything in order to live freely as themselves and pursue their right to education and equality. Yentl is destructive—they inflict suffering and danger upon people they care about and risk damnation and Divine punishment through their transgressions, but the force that is driving them to ‘sin’ is also that that allows them to break new ground and forge a new path for people like themself who yearn for more than their lot allows. So out of the rubble of the destruction blooms new hope.
I think this story speaks to how change is made, the sacrifices, the challenges, the heartache. Judaism sits as the backdrop for this story and carries with it rigid social and biblical rules as well as rich spiritual and cultural ideas to be grappled with. There is really so much that makes this story important, you’ll have to decide for yourself what resonates the loudest with you!
ACA: How is this interpretation unique?
Amy: Our director Gary Abrahams has drawn from old Yiddish theatre tropes, infusing a sort of vaudevillian avant-garde style to our story-telling. The play is an adaptation of a short story, Yentl the Yeshiva Boy written in Yiddish in the 50s by Isaac Bashevis Singer, and the story is set in 1870, so how to theatricalise it could go in any direction. But Gary and the creative team harnessed the darkness and deep mysticism inherent in a lot of Bashevis Singer’s writings to create a world on stage that you don’t often see in Sydney. He doesn’t want the audience to forget that we are all gathered here in this room to give or receive a story.
Also the play is about 30% in Yiddish (with surtitles, don’t worry!), so this adds to the transportive quality of this work—it takes you to another time, another realm. It’s really magical.
ACA: What was the rehearsal process like?
Amy: Gary is a rigorous and relentless director, his attention to detail is remarkable, and his insistence on mining us as actors for every ounce of truth, of pain, of heart that we have (not unlike Mr. Anthony Skuse, Head of Performance At ACA). He has brought out some exceptional performances in our cast. It wasn’t always easy, but I don’t think it should be.
I also had the challenge of learning Yiddish for the role—it was a huge learning curve and one that at times I doubted if I could overcome, but once you start getting the hang of it and being able to actually listen and be affected by this language, it feels like a huge achievement and a thrill.
ACA: What’s it like performing at the iconic Sydney Opera House?
Amy: I love performing at the Opera House. This is my fourth show I’ve performed at the Playhouse since I graduated in 2014. There’s something special about walking in to work, and congregating in the green room with all the other creatives from all the different shows being put on there. I feel very lucky.
ACA: Any audition tips for aspiring actors?
Amy: Find a real point of connection between you and the character or what the character is experiencing—something that you feel in your own body that makes it real and intensely satisfying and vital that you must explore in the room. You have to really care about it, even just about one element of the scene or the character’s plight. If you go in there and connect with that fearlessly, then that’s all you can do, the rest is out of your control, and you’ll know that you lay a little of your guts out on the floor for your craft. If they want what you’re selling or not is neither here nor there—you get a chance to practice your craft and challenge yourself with every audition, so try to enjoy them!
ACA: When did you study at ACA? Why did you choose ACA?
Amy: I studied from 2012 – 2014. I got into a school in Melbourne (where I lived and am from) and ACA, and I wanted to challenge myself to move away from my comfort zone and see how much I can terrify myself and grow and all that. Was an excellent choice. Also the audition for ACA was such a brilliant vibe—it was less clinical and more playful than the other auditions I had been to, and it just felt right to go down that path with ACA. I am also still very close with lots of people from my year level (we have our 10 year reunion this weekend which I sadly cannot attend as I have 2 shows), but I’m lucky to be in constant contact with a number of the special people I met during my course.
ACA: What were the top three things you learned at ACA?
Amy: I remember our Head of Acting Andrew Lloyd said to us, ‘you know a lot of you will graduate here and then just basically go back to what you were doing/the habits that were working for you before you came.’ This is true to an extent—before I came to drama school I used to do a lot of comedy and character stuff, and then at drama school I was confronted with having to unmask, to release and express who I am through stories rather than hiding behind a facade. Since graduating, I have reconnected with that character chameleon part of myself that I always relished when I was younger, but if I hadn’t thrown myself into the uncomfortable challenge of unmasking at drama school, I would be a much less 3 dimensional actor. I learnt to explore every part of performance and of myself, not to just lean into what I thought I was good at.
ACA: Anything else you’d like to share?
Amy: Do yourselves a favour and come and see Yentl at the Opera House. And come and say hi at stage door after, I’d love to meet you!
Big congratulations again to Amy! Be sure to check out Yentl at the Sydney Opera House, running through 10 November.
