The main story is introduced after Hershel’s child wishes to hear a Hanukkah story, and Hershel recalls (and the audience witnesses) his adventures. Unlike the book, there is something of a frame or a show-within-a-show styling to this presentation, adding a classical theatre element to the proceedings. The story also parallels in a subtle manner the miracle of Hanukkah and the Maccabees’ revolt and victory against the powerful Romans despite overwhelming odds. He does this in part by lighting the Hanukah menorah in the old synagogue each night. Much like the story of David and Goliath, Hershel is destined to win his fight with the goblins-not by strength, but through wit, intelligence, and “doing something honorable,” thus restoring the freedom of the village to celebrate Hanukkah. He does this because it is what a good person would do-because he is, to use a Yiddish term, a mensch. Indeed, the goblins terrorize the whole village, with the village rabbi warning Hershel that most who confront the goblins never return! Hershel goes on this quest not because he is a hero he is rather an everyman. In this puppet show, based on Eric Kimmel’s children’s book of the same name, a solitary man, Hershel, wanders through a dark village during the season of Hanukkah and is told that the villagers cannot celebrate Hanukkah due to the goblins haunting an old synagogue nearby. The puppeteers and voices are uniformly excellent, adding life and personality to this very special play for the holiday season.

Can Hershel save the day and lift the curse for this shtetl (village)?” “Hershel just wants to celebrate Hanukkah with the community,” states the Puppet Co.’s description of “Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins,” “but the Queen and King of the Goblins have forbidden the lighting of the candles.

Hershel of “Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins.” Photo by Elizabeth Dapo.

Hershel and the hanukkah