A Walk With Mr. Heifetz Cherry Lane

[Alfie6]

A Walk With Mr. Heifetz Cherry Lane#1

Posted: 2/8/18 at 12:51am

This was a charming yet slight  90 minute show about the role music played in inspiring nationalism during the formative years of the early Israeli state.  There is also a 20 minute intermission and since there is a complex set change between Act I and Act II  it serves a purpose.

The title of the play is a bit deceptive since Mr. Heifetz, while a character,  is not in most of the show. He is front and center for Act I then disappears for all but thirty seconds in the second act. The literal walk that takes place with him in Act I is really an insignificant part of the story.

Act I takes place in 1926 and Act II takes place in 1947 and each felt like a separate play to me entirely. I think Act II is definitely the stronger part of the play, the audience was fidgeting in the first act when Heifetz and the Israeli musician both talk about what music means to them. That was a slog for 35 minutes where they repeated the same arguments over and over again. Yuval Boim and  Erik Lochtefeld were fantastic  and gave excellent performances. Honestly, if you want a great show about  the power of music and Israeli politics see the Band's Visit.