The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Vogel, Paula. Indecent. Theatre Communications Group. 2017. First Edition. The play’s narrative unfolds on two levels. First, there is the story of Indecent itself, which is defined by a dramatization of actual events surrounding the creation, production, and performance of the play “The God of Vengeance,” by Sholem Asch. The second level of narrative is that of “…Vengeance” itself, which is the story of a young Jewish woman’s coming of age. To distinguish between the two plays within this analysis, the main narrative will be referred to as Indecent, while the internal narrative – the play-within-the-play - will be referred to as “…Vengeance.”

Indecent begins with a prologue-like section that introduces the conventions, or stylistic choices, through which the play’s story will be told. Those conventions include a shifting between realities as well as the inclusion of projections to indicate a change of scene and / or a change of language in which the characters are communicating.

A narrator, Lemml, presents the troupe of actors who will be enacting the play’s story. The troupe then performs a song in the language and style of the Jewish community of the early 1900’s, the circumstances in which Indecent is set and in which “… Vengeance” was created. As the song concludes, the troupe puts pieces of the set together to represent Indecent’s first scene, a conversation between Sholem Asch, the young, idealistic playwright of “… Vengeance,” and his supportive wife Madje. Madje is particularly moved by the emotional content of a key scene in “…Vengeance,” referred to throughout both Indecent and this analysis as “The Rain Scene.” That scene, as Madje describes it here. contains an intimate, sensual encounter between two women.

In the next sequence of scenes, Asch struggles to get “…Vengeance” in front of an audience. He runs into opposition from people who think his portrayal of the relationship between the two women is immoral, and who think that his portrayal of the Jewish community is anti-Semitic. He remains true to his vision, however, and eventually manages to convince the famous actor Rudolph Shildkraut to appear in a production in Berlin. That production is a success, and goes on tour all over Europe.

Eventually, the Shildkraut production of “…Vengeance” is taken to New York City. After an initially successful run at a small theatre, the production moves to a theatre on Broadway. There, however, producers become uncomfortable with some of its content, particularly “The Rain Scene,” which is cut. The removal of the scene does not protect the production from attack. A conservative Jewish rabbi works to get the play banned, which leads to the actors being arrested on charges of indecency and immorality. Lemml, who has traveled with the production from Europe and is fanatically devoted to the play and its ideals, tries to get Asch to speak out on its behalf, but Asch refuses. The actors are convicted, and the play is shut down.

When Lemml returns to Europe, he keeps “…Vengeance” alive by presenting small-scale productions whenever and however he can. At one point, the small attic room in which the actors are performing is raided by the Nazis, and the actors are all arrested. Then, in the midst of a theatrical representation of those actors being sent to execution in Nazi concentration camps, Lemml imagines “The Rain Scene,” hoping that what is happening to him and the others is not the end.

In an epilogue-like scene, the now elder Asch and Madje encounter a young Jewish man named Rosen, who has become passionate about producing “…Vengeance” in its original form. Asch, who has become embittered over the years, refuses. As he and Madje prepare to leave their home, however, Asch imagines “The Rain Scene” being performed in its original Yiddish. The curtain falls on the image of Asch, Lemml, and the two women in “The Rain Scene” all dancing.