Actor Anton Berezin takes on the inspiring role of Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku in the Australian stage premiere of The Happiest Man on Earth, the stirring memoir about how the late Sydney-sider survived his darkest days in Germany during WWII.
The Australian premiere of The Happiest Man on Earth has been more than a year in the making – but has come at a time of great significance. Based on the best-selling memoir of Holocaust survivor and Sydney entrepreneur, Eddie Jaku, the story of hope will play out at The Opera House as the nation is still reeling from the tragic terrorist attacks at Bondi which targeted those of Jewish background.
Actor Anton Berezin, a proud Jew, will play the part of the late Eddie, in a one-man show based on the memoir which had rave reviews in the USA and UK when it premiered in 2023. The play is ‘a really special one, an important one,’ Anton says.
Over the last few years the Melbourne-born actor has been focussing more on Jewish stories, at a time of political and social friction ‘just around being Jewish.’ “So it was very important to me personally, and for my children, to feel comfortable and proud of their heritage, to make sure that we weren’t frightened into silence.”
Eddie was a ‘bit of a legend,’ says Anton, not just in Sydney, ‘but all over the world, because of his amazing story of surviving the Holocaust, and then building a quite extraordinary life in Australia, living the Australian dream and being able to maintain an incredibly positive attitude.”
Eddie passed away in 2021, at the age of 101. Incredibly, he waited until his centenary to tell his story of surviving concentration camps in Germany, France and Poland during World War II, and then escaping the Nazis while on one of the infamous ‘death marches.’ In his mid-20s he was eventually rescued by US soldiers after surviving in a forest, weighing just 30kg.
While Anton has been on the stage for 30 years, playing the role of Eddie in a one-man play is ‘unique and difficult.’
“It doesn’t frighten me, but I’ve never stood on a stage by myself for 90 minutes. I’ve had nightmares about it, but I’ve never done it. So it’s really thrilling!” Anton says with a laugh.
To prepare for the role, Anton watched ‘every piece of footage’ he could find of Eddie, who was a frequent volunteer at the Sydney Jewish Museum and had done several Tedx talks on his incredible journey (viewed over two million times).
Eddie Jaku with his belt, the only possession he was allowed to keep at Auschwitz
It was very important to me personally, and for my children, to feel comfortable and proud of their heritage, to make sure that we weren’t frightened into silence.
Actor Anton Berezin
This enabled Anton to understand Eddie’s mannerisms, and ‘what’s at the centre of who he was and the way he manifested in his speech and physicality.’ Anton also met with his two sons to dig deeper into the man who was Eddie.
“What pervades Eddie’s voice and his worldview is this undying optimism and ingenuity,” Anton states. “When you hear about the narrow escapes (you understand) the guy was brilliant. He just wouldn’t give up.”
Despite seeing death every day – including when both of his parents were gassed at Auschwitz – Eddie kept going.
“He had moments of despair and moments of anguish. But when he had split second decisions to make, it seems like luck and willpower were on his side. And he escaped circumstances that he had no business escaping.”
The play unfolds as Eddie is about to reveal his story for the first time, and the audience is effectively the group of people he will address. “There’s no wall between the actor and the audience,” Anton explains.
It’s a recount of Eddie’s life from childhood to liberation, ‘and everything in between.’ “The happy ending is that he lived till he was over 100 in Sydney, and made this wonderful life for himself, and had a positive influence on millions of people all over the world.
“He was extraordinary.”
There was a lot of Eddie’s life which resonated for Anton, who was born in Russia, and migrated to Australia as a stateless refugee. His grandmother was a Holocaust survivor, but she had never talked about it. “Everyone she knew was murdered,” Anton declares. “What really resonated with me in particular was the fact that it wasn’t until later in life that Eddie was even able to talk about these things.
“It took a lot to be able to talk about them.”
Anton himself had been a ‘quiet Jew’ until the October 7 attacks in 2023, and from that moment decided he would never hide his faith – with an Israeli flag tattooed on his left bicep. After the Bondi attacks, his key message to keep going is ‘perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardship’ – much like Eddie’s mantra. “People will be overwhelmed with the hopefulness of (the play).
“You can do more with your life than you think you can. And I think that’s probably the greatest blessing of this story, that it shows what’s possible. You can choose to be happy.
“You can choose to have a beautiful life. These are all things that are within everyone’s reach. It’s just a matter of positive thinking and decision-making.”
