Things Can Always Be Worse!

Things Can Always Be Worse! is a delightful one-act comedy based on a well-known Rumanian folktale. One chaotic Chanukah eve, Papa teaches his family a lesson by retelling a story his father always told him. As the story unfolds, we meet Mendel and his large argumentative family who live in a tiny hut. One day, bemoaning the lack of space and quiet, Mendel's wife sends him to the rebbe for advice. Chaos and comedy follow after the rebbe advises him to bring the chickens, a cow and a goat into the hut. Audiences of all ages love the story, rich with Jewish traditions. The characters that populate Mendel's village are endearing, each with his or her own problems and advice for Mendel. The rebbe's lesson, "Things can always be worse," appeals to everyone. This script is extremely flexible and can be performed as is, or additional characters and dialogue can be added. Things Can Always Be Worse! can be performed by or for people of all ages. the play has evolved from years of improvising the folktale with children as young as 6 and with adults as old as 66. A variation of this version was performed by a Hebrew school confirmation class at their graduation.