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Oklahoma Samovar’ Earns Uneven Reviews in La MaMa Run

Critics highlight an ambitious multigenerational tale of a LatvianJewish family on the frontier told through a 1987 mystery frame with spare story‑theater techniques.

Overview

  • The world premiere runs at La MaMa’s Downstairs Theater through Dec. 21, written by Alice Eve Cohen and directed by Eric Nightengale.
  • A six-actor ensemble — Sarah Chalfie, Joyce Cohen, Nadia Diamond, Alex J. Gould, Seren Kaiser and Sahar Lev‑Shomer — plays multiple roles with minimal sets and brief puppetry.
  • The story begins in 1987 with Emily’s trip to Sylvia’s Oklahoma farm, then tracks a century of family history back to Jake and Hattie’s 1889 settlement.
  • Reviewers praise vivid frontier passages and agile doubling, with Joyce Cohen and Sarah Chalfie frequently cited for standout turns.
  • Notices fault inconsistent staging and focus, including sparse use of promised puppetry and a central framing character who feels underdeveloped.