Israeli actor, writer and director Ofra Daniel brings her daring, passionate musical play based on a Biblical poem to London for its European premiere…
Despite a long history of living in relative peace with their neighbours, I have to admit that my first recollections of hearing about the Jews of Baghdad was when I read about the shocking fate of nine of them, hanged in public, along with three Muslims and two Christians, all accused…
Escapologist Harry Houdini was a legend in his own lifetime. His headline-grabbing stunts, involving mystifying, often lurid escapes from chains, padlocks, water tanks and suspension from skyscrapers, ensured that his reputation would live on long after his death. He boasted that he…
In light of the current tension in the Middle East and an increase in antisemitic activity around the world, it would seem there's little to laugh about right now. Cue the musical with idiosyncratic punctuation in its title, a UK debut from Israeli playwright and composer Uri Agnon that's not…
Truman Productions’ mission statement is to develop and amplify new, female-led contemporary Jewish writing. Its latest show, These Demons by Rachel Bellman, is a warm, funny and properly hair-raising drama that ticks all those boxes and more. In a run-down cottage in the woods…
The Łódź Ghetto, established by the Nazis in Poland, was always on the infamous list of places where Jews were confined before eventual deportation (for most) to the death camps. This partly fictionalised account of its inception is all too plausible. That the Russian writer…
As a cultured and affluent-looking couple celebrating their golden wedding share leftover cake from the party over a crossword, you could be forgiven for assuming we were already tackling marriage. But when another woman…
It’s 40 years since the musical set in the Côte d'Azur drag club of the title, and based on Jean Poiret’s Francophile farce, opened on Broadway, where it ran for four years. With book and lyrics by Harvey Fierstein (Torch Song Trilogy) and a wonderfully vivid score, by turns…
At the bongs of Big Ben we hear a news reporter telling us that Hitler is dead. But “you shouldn't believe everything you hear on the radio. Ay up!” In the depths of rural Yorkshire, hides four very naughty boys – The Nazi Boys – Goebbels (Marcus Churchill), Himmler (Michael…
Those who thought Sir Ian McKellen was booked to appear at the Theatre Royal Windsor until mid-July are in for a surprise. For here he is, our celebrated theatrical knight, Gandalf himself – albeit not quite as large as life, but…