Leopoldstat

Leopoldstat is a play by Tom Stoppard at the Longacre Theatre had very good reviews. This is why I chose it.  

Sir Tom Stoppard was born Tomas Straissler 3rd July 1937 in Czechoslovakia. He was a child refugee from the Nazi regime. The family first escaped to Singapore and then his mother and his brother to Darjeeling in the Indian Himalayas. He spent 1943-1946 at a boarding school in Darjeeling before his mother took them to England. He is a well known playwright having written many plays (See Wikipedia) including “Shakespeare in Love (1998).

Leopoldstat is an autobiography of Tom Stoppard’s life. It traces his Jewish ancestry. There is a huge cast and dramatic film excerpts are played on a screen. 

The play runs for 2 hrs and 20 mins with no intervals and includes scenes in 1899, 1900, 1924, 1938 and 1955. 

I had a seat next to two ladies with Jewish ancestry. We were able to discuss how their relatives came to New York City. 

The play is absorbing, emotional and unforgettable. I greatly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone going to New York City.