Mark Rosenblatt’s fearless new drama explores the giant problem of ROALD DAHL’s antisemitism

“Giant” is a title that suits Mark Rosenblatt’s play in so many ways. Roald Dahl, its principal protagonist, is a giant among children’s writers, whose subjects include James and the Giant Peach and fairytale characters like the eponymous ‘Big Friendly Giant’. And in real life, Dahl was very tall – although, going by Rosenblatt’s depiction, selective towards whom he was friendly.

Dahl’s outburst of antisemitism in the early 1980s, in a review he wrote of a photojournalist’s response to Israel’s 1982 war with Lebanon, is Rosenblatt’s jumping off point, although we have to wait for his play’s climax for actor John Lithgow’s superb and genuinely scary Dahl to reference some of the irascible writer’s actual words. We only hear them towards the end in a phone conversation with his American publisher, the delay cleverly ensuring growing anticipation in the audience that they are indeed uncomfortable and shockingly antisemitic.

The audience is aware of the outburst from the start, because that’s the reason Dahl and his devoted mistress of 11 years, Liccy (Rachael Stirling, as warm as she is beautiful), to whom he is newly engaged, and his Jewish literary agent Tom Maschler (Elliot Levey) are gathered at Dahl’s Buckinghamshire home amid the chaos of a refurbishment: to attempt damage limitation.

Liccy and Tom have a monumental challenge to which to rise: to calm the simmering resentment of the world-famous ‘international treasure’, with his strong sense of entitlement. The antisemitic remarks and a hostile article in The Spectator have provoked angry threats, so there is a policeman on duty in the drive.

Although Lithgow’s Dahl starts off relatively calm, there is always the threat that he will boil over without warning. The irritation and discomfort caused by the refurbishment may be the trigger: all too evident on designer Bob Crowley’s graphically chaotic set – a garden room with temporary plastic sheeting awaiting the installation of French windows looking out on the currently unkempt garden. The unfortunate ‘elderly retainer’ Wally (Richard Hope), has just dared to spray the lawn with pesticide, thus incurring Dahl’s wrath, and the audience’s sympathy!

Tom is purportedly visiting for a final proof-read of The Witches. As the play opens, he and Dahl have their heads together inspecting Quentin Blakes’s striking and scary illustrations. There is already an undercurrent of unease and testiness in their conversation, as Dahl resents what he perceives as Blake’s high profile.

And then Jessie, the representative of an influential American firm lined up to publish The Witches in America, arrives. Already dubbed a ‘Manhattenista’ by Tom, she is apologetic for being late, and enthuses over Dahl’s oeuvre. However, the discovery that she is Jewish. along with the much-annotated copy of Dahl’s antisemitic article that falls from her bag as she delves for a pen, are the catalysts for exchanges of ice and fire, as Dahl attacks with searching questions on the nature and depth of her Jewishness and her support for Israel.

Romola Garai’s brave but outclassed Jessie gives almost as good as she gets with a performance of equal parts defiance and attempts to diffuse the tension. When Elliot Levey’s intelligent, articulate Tom becomes part of the volleying, accusation and counter-accusation are fired across the stage.

Nicholas Hytner directs with all the nuance and understanding you would expect. And that the action is taking place in 1983, in the wake of insurgences and violence in Israel with Palestinian children as collateral damage and the Israeli army under fire from world public opinion, gives Rosenblatt’s play, his first as a writer after many years of directing, an added and especially sobering topicality. 

By Judi Herman

Photos by Manuel Harlan

Giant runs until Saturday 16 November. 7.30pm (Mon-Fri), 1.30pm & 6pm (Sat only). From £15. Royal Court Theatre, SW1W 8AS. royalcourttheatre.com

Join us for a special JR fundraising trip to see the play, followed by an exclusive post-show talk with all-star special guests, including playwright Mark Rosenblatt, on Thursday 12 November. Click here for more info and to book.