JR Outloud

"It's a very loaded moment to be doing a Jewish work…but the overall message is of coming together and celebrating Jewish traditions" After the success of London's first ever Jewish panto last year, which had everyone from babies to bubbas in fits of giggles, it's only right that the family fun returns for a second season. The same team behind the hilarious Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Pig, presents Goldie Frocks and the Bear Mitzvah, about East Ender Goldie Frocks and the fuzzy Behr family, who are preparing for the best bear mitzvah Picalilli Circus has ever seen. Judi Herman caught up with one of the stars of the show, Frankie Thompson (aka Baby Behr), to talk about her family history in theatre, using comedy to address difficult topics and living up to the legend of ‘Smelly Bum'.Goldie Frocks and the Bear Mitzvah runs until Sunday 8 January. Times vary. From £26 adults, from £16 children. JW3, NW3 6ET. jw3.org.uk/panto

Jewish American filmmaker Nina Menkes has been a pioneer of independent cinema since the 1980s, challenging conventions through her unwavering and unique vision. The BFI Southbank is currently running a retrospective of her work, in light of which Menkes sits down to chat with critic and lecturer Dr Julia Wagner. Menkes discusses her latest documentary, Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power; the significance of being a child of parents who fled the Holocaust; and the visual and aural style of her films.Cinematic Sorceress: The Films of Nina Menkes runs until Wednesday 31 May. Times and prices vary. BFI Southbank, SE1 8XT. whatson.bfi.org.uk

If you love Leonard Cohen and dance, here's an irresistible offering. Dance Me: Music by Leonard Cohen – presented by Ballets Jazz Montréal (based, as the name suggests, in Cohen's home city) – sets the bard's rich and profound work to movement, video and more. The company has already toured the world and now it's London's turn to thrill to their glorious and moving interpretation, which was actually approved by the man himself when it was first conceived by then artistic director Louis Robitaille. In a revealing chat with Cohen devotee Judi Herman, Alexandra Damiani, current artistic director of BJM, spoke about the show, the ideas behind it and Damiani's own career.Dance Me: Music by Leonard Cohen runs Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 & Tuesday 14 February. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only), £33.75-£84.38. Sadler's Wells, EC1R 4TN. sadlerswells.com

The year is 1945 and playrwight Ben Brown takes us to the estate near Berlin, where Heinrich Himmler, architect of the Holocaust, meets in secret with a Swedish Jew and member of the World Jewish Congress, Norbert Masur. The meeting is at the instigation of the estate's owmer, Himmler's Finnish physiotherapist Dr Felix Kersten, who has persuaded Hitler's deputy to come without the Führer's knowledge, to bargain for his life as it becomes clear that Germany is losing the war. The stakes are high, the freeing of thousands of Jews from camps is the bargaining chip, and the 'night' whose end is in sight in Brown's tense, eye-opening drama is World War II and the Holocaust. Listen as Judi Herman speaks to Brown about his vital source material – both Kersten's memoirs and Masur's account written immediately on his return to Stockholm – and his fascination with vividly reimagining vital moments in 20th-century history.The End of the Night runs until Saturday 28 May. 7.30pm, 3pm (Thu & Sat only). £18.50-£32.50, £16.50-£23.50 concs. Park Theatre, N4 3JP. parktheatre.co.ukRead our review of The End of the Night on the JR blog.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the massacre of more than 33,000 Jews by Nazi occupying forces in the ravine of Babyn Yar in the suburbs of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. The figures rose to more than 100,000 over the following two years of Nazi occupation. Songs for Babyn Yar marks this anniversary with a performance featuring three Ukrainian musicians – Yuriy Gurzhy, Svetlana Kundish and Mariana Sadovska – who have composed and arranged the music. Drawing on diverse voices, including survivors' testimonies, traditional Yiddish and Ukrainian folk songs and poetry, they journey deep into 100 years of their country's history to reveal forgotten stories and silenced songs. It is a new act of remembrance that also asks how to move forward from a tragedy that has never been fully commemorated. After a performance at JW3 on Sunday 21 November, it will tour to Ukraine and there are plans for further UK performances. Songs for Babyn Yar is directed by Josephine Burton, artistic director of Dash Arts, who spoke to JR's arts editor Judi Herman about the story of the production and how it tells a powerful story.Songs for Babyn Yar runs Sunday 21 November. 7.30pm. £15 (in-person), £5 (online only). JW3, NW3 6ET. 020 7433 8988. jw3.org.uk

Many of us have seen The Merchant of Venice, perhaps Shakespeare's most controversial play, featuring Shylock, the reviled Jewish moneylender. But now, theatre director Bill Alexander, who has directed the play several times to much acclaim, has created this “all-new modern-day adaptation”, set in what he calls the "blackly comic world of modern Venice", tellingly entitled A Merchant of Venice – did you spot the indefinite article?In Alexander's version which, he says, "focuses on just six key characters, their entangled loves, desires and fortunes", Peter Tate plays Shylock. He is also co-artistic director (with Anthony Biggs) of The Playground Theatre in west London. He spoke to JR's arts editor Judi Herman about the loves, desires and fortunes of Shylock, and the joys and challenges of running one of London's newest theatres, which is currently welcoming Shakespeare In Italy, the company behind the production, with its brief to take the works of Shakespeare to new audiences in exciting and interesting ways.A Merchant of Venice runs until Saturday 4 December. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). From £13.50. The Playground Theatre, W10 6RQ. theplaygroundtheatre.london

“It was heart-stopping! It's hard to remember she's a puppet, she is so real and lifelike" © David Levene © David Levene © David Levene © David Levene © David Levene © David Levene © David Levene Since she set off in July, JR has been following the extraordinary journey across Europe of Little Amal, the giant puppet of a nine-year-old refugee girl. She is searching for her mother and, on the way, highlighting the plight of her fellow refugees. JR's Judi Herman spoke to the theatremaker behind the project, David Lan in the Summer 2021 issue of JR, and has been looking forward to Little Amal's arrival in the UK ever since. Last weekend she joined the crowds thronging the steps of St Paul's, along with leaders of different faith communities, to welcome Little Amal to the capital, listen to the band and speak to members of the crowd, including Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Sheikh Ibrahim Moghra and Rev Lucy Winkett of St James's Church, Piccadilly.Later, Herman caught up with Lan, who joined her via Zoom from Oxford, where Little Amal was due next, to meet a girl who equalled her in size – a huge puppet of Lewis Carroll's Alice – there to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Alice Through the Looking Glass. But first join us on the steps of St Paul's…The Walk with Amal runs until Wednesday 3 November. Times, prices and venues vary. walkwithamal.org Read our interview with David Lan in the Summer 2021 issue of JR and read more about The Walk with Amal on the JR blog.

Rebecca Taichman won the Tony Award for best director for her production of Paula Vogel's hit play Indecent, charting the controversy surrounding Yiddish playwright Sholem Asch's 1906 drama God of Vengeance, a story of exploitation set in a brothel that also celebrates the passionate love between two women. It caused a furore when the English translation opened on Broadway in 1923 and the company were tried for obscenity. Happily, Indecent became one of the hottest tickets in theatre and Rebecca has been in London directing the UK premiere, now selling out at the Menier Chocolate Factory, where it opened to rave reviews. Before she returned to New York, Taichman spoke to JR's Judi Herman about her fruitful, five-year collaboration with Vogel and their shared passion for telling “the true story of a little Jewish play”.Indecent runs until Saturday 27 November. 8pm (Tue-Sat), 3.30pm (Sat & Sun only). £37.50-£47.50. Menier Chocolate Factory, SE1 1RU. menierchocolatefactory.com

Tsitsit: The Jewish Fringe Festival, aptly named after the Jewish ritual fringes, launches this October throughout the UK and online. It promises a packed month of music, theatre, comedy and family entertainment celebrating “the diversity of Jewishness” and is the brainchild of Alastair Falk, a former head teacher and co-founder of Limmud. Judi Herman caught up with him to find out about this new festival that's really got her excited and about how he himself got the festival bug starting out with his own comedy show on the Edinburgh Fringe.Tsitsit: The Jewish Fringe Festival runs Sunday 3 – Sunday 31 October. Times and prices vary. ONLINE and at various UK venues. tsitsitfringe.org

Josh Azouz is a playwright whose work deservedly draws in audiences. His last play, The Mikvah Project, set in the Jewish ritual bath of the title, intrigued audiences last year (pre-pandemic). Now his Sephardi background and his interest in Jewish/Muslim relations are among the inspirations that sent him on a revealing journey of discovery for his latest play, Once Upon a Time in Nazi-Occupied Tunisia. Azouz speaks to JR's arts editor Judi Herman about this new play and more, from his years singing in the choir at Lauderdale Road Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue, to how time spent training at Philippe Gaulier Clown School in Paris proved useful for this dark tragicomedy.Once Upon a Time in Nazi-Occupied Tunisia runs until Saturday 18 September. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Sat & Wed only). £10-£43.50. Almeida Theatre, N1 1TA. 020 7359 4404. almeida.co.ukRead our review of the show on the JR blog.

What makes a home for you? Victor Esses answers this very personal question in Where to Belong, a one-man multimedia show that shares his exploration of his own rich identity as Jewish-Lebanese, Brazilian, gay and, as a result of the Lebanese crisis of 1975, a second-generation refugee. As the show takes on a poignant topicality in the current refugee crisis, Esses speaks to JR's arts editor Judi Herman about how he discovered more about himself and his heritage to make this poignant show, which includes storytelling, music, photographs and – thanks to video – a moving appearance by his mother.Where to Belong tours Friday 3 September – Thursday 14 October, stopping in London (3 Sep); Oxford (7 Sep); Harlow (9 Sep); Bedford (18 Sep); Cardiff (23 Sep); and Manchester (14 Oct). For times and prices see JR listings or visit victoresses.com/wheretobelongtour.

In 2013, Jerusalem-born Avital Raz released The Edinburgh Surprise, a song about a one-night stand between an Israeli woman and a Palestinian man. Stemming from this and the controversy it caused, My Jerusalem is her own story. Raz takes the audience through moments of her upbringing in tumultuous 1980s Israel and presents her nuanced exploration of the politics of division, using live music, projected images and storytelling. Although the national tour of the show was cut short due to Covid, it has now been filmed before a live audience in Manchester and is available to stream until Saturday 7 August. The documentary, Your Jerusalem, in which she interviews Israelis, Palestinians and people in the UK about the issues raised in the show, is also available to stream.JR's Judi Herman has watched both films and The Edinburgh Surprise and spoke to Raz about her Jerusalem and the experiences that led her to make My Jerusalem, a show that Judi hails as “personal, heartfelt, controversial, hard hitting and beautiful”.My Jerusalem and Your Jerusalem are available to stream via Apple Cart Arts until Saturday 7 August and Sunday 8 August, respectively.

Orthodox Jewish Comedian Ashley Blaker has built up a great reputation, both live on the comedy circuit and on the airwaves. His landmark show, Ashley Blaker's Goyish Guide to Judaism on BBC Radio 4, gives millions of listeners a window into his world in the Orthodox community.Now, in the four-part radio series Ashley Blaker: 6.5 Children, he takes us into his household in a groundbreaking new comedy show. With a mix of stand-up and observational documentary, all recorded in the Blakers' unusual home with the voices of his real family, the show tackles the parenting of six children, adoption and raising children with special needs – two autistic sons and an adopted daughter with Down's Syndrome. So how does he find the funny under his own roof? The comedian shares some home truths with JR's arts editor Judi Herman, who also gets a sneak preview of an episode about the ins and outs of adoption.Ashley Blaker: 6.5 Children runs until Friday 30 July on BBC Radio 4 at 11.30am. After it airs, each episode will be available to stream on BBC Sounds. bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000xmz7Blaker will tour his brand new stand-up show, inspired by the radio series, from May 2022. ashleyblaker.com

Judi Herman shares the moment that kickstarted her litter-collecting crusade It’s November 2020. I’m done wringing my hands and raging at the appalling volume of litter ‘decorating’ our streets, grass verges and hedgerows that offends me daily on our lockdown walks. My husband Steve has bought me a litter-picker for our wedding anniversary (!) and I take on the role of joint leader with him of the new ‘litterati’. Steve begins by finding some wonderfully official-looking “No litter" notices online, printing and fixing them to the fence at the entrance to an alleyway that is often ankle deep in rubbish; meanwhile, I deftly clear the alley with my new weapon. Now our daily walks have a new purpose. We still look at the stars, but we cast our eyes downwards to the gutters too, to clear them from bottles and cans, baby wipes and takeaway boxes – and facemasks – this last a new addition to the detritus that folk seem to have lost the will to bin or take home.On a walk round suburbia we pick up everything we spot – and I’m gratified to say that, though there’s still plenty to fill a bag, the volume has dropped substantially, especially down our alley, and we are often greeted by local residents who want to thank us.There are folk litter-picking countrywide of course, but now we are reaching out to JR readers and asking anyone who wants to join us to get in touch and let’s try to coordinate our efforts. Just think, if everyone took responsibility for the pavement, verge or road outside their home, it would be pretty well job done! The beautiful Jewish precept of tikkun olam (repairing the world) surely encompasses keeping our own local area free of polluting debris.Our grandchildren (pictured) Alys, 8, and Dylan, 5, are now really into competitive – and cooperative – litter-picking. So now, ahead of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign’s Great Spring Clean (28 May-13 Jun), join us as the kids grab the litter-pickers (and microphone) at a local beauty spot; plus Steve and me on a sunset walk.By Judi HermanConsidering getting your own littler-picker? Visit keepbritaintidy.org to find ways of getting involved, and check with your local council, as you may be able to apply for a picker, bags and even a high-viz jacket.

As she approached her 90th birthday, Holocaust survivor Eva Mendelsson decided it was time to share the precious gift that her mother Sylvia Cohn gave her for her 11th birthday, back in 1942 – a little exercise book filled with her own poetry. Sylvia was a gifted poet who bore witness in her verse to the good times, and the increasingly more terrible times, she was living through. The poems she sent to Eva and her sister Myriam in the Jewish children’s home in France, came directly from the internment camp where she was imprisoned and were only a portion of her prolific writings. Sylvia did not survive, but after the war, Eva and Myriam were able to join their father Eduard in England. This touching and gripping story was broadcast on the BBC World Service in March – The Birthday Gift that Survived the Holocaust – and is available to stream online for over a year.Now, at last, Eva has been able to get her mother’s poetry translated into English to share with the world. JR's arts editor Judi Herman spoke to her, along with her son Jonny, to discover more about Sylvia’s life and legacy, Eva’s life after the war, and insights into what it's like to be a survivor and the child of a survivor.Sylvia’s poems are read by Rabbi Lea Mühlstein and translated by Miriam Godfrey. Hashiveinu is sung by Ruth Colin and Jo Rose at The Ark Synagogue, Northwood & Pinner.

The full programme of this year’s Brundibár Arts Festival, which is held each January to coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day, has had to be postponed until 2022, but happily one theatre event is going ahead online: The Cook Sisters – Heroines of the Holocaust…

Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter, which had its premiere in 1960 at Hampstead Theatre as part of the theatre’s opening season, bears the signature hallmarks of the ‘Pinteresque’. An atmosphere of menace builds around Ben and Gus, two hitmen holed up in a basement, jockeying for position as they await instructions for their imminent next job; meanwhile they receive strange messages via the dumb waiter.This early masterpiece from Pinter was last seen in London as part Jamie Lloyd’s ‘Pinter at the Pinter’ season in 2018. This 60th anniversary stand-alone production is directed by Alice Hamilton and stars Alec Newman and Shane Zaza as Ben and Gus. Hamilton spoke to JR’s Arts Editor Judi Herman about the challenges and fascination of working with Pinter, including the new resonances this drama has about being trapped.The Dumb Waiter runs Thursday 3 December 2020 – Saturday 16 January 2021. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). £18-£37, £20-£25 seniors (matinees only), £10-£15 students/under-30s. Hampstead Theatre, NW3 3EU. hampsteadtheatre.com/the-dumb-waiter

Noemie Lopian is the daughter of Holocaust survivors Dr Ernst Israel Bornstein and Renee Bornstein. Noemie was brought up first in Germany and then from the age of 13 in Manchester, England. The mother of four daughters, she qualified as a GP and for the last few years has dedicated her time to educating and commemorating the Holocaust, continuing the legacy of her parents. She has translated her late father Ernst’s memoirs into a book called The Long Night, the story of his sufferings as a teenager in a series of concentration camps, which has featured on TV, in print and as an animation. Her mother shared with her only more recently the story of her terrifying childhood experiences trying to evade the Nazis occupying her native France.Now Noemie is also able to tell Renee's story in an extraordinarily immediate way, thanks to broadcaster and lawyer Robert Rinder, whose new two-part documentary for the BBC helps Jewish families discover the full truth about what happened to their relatives during the Holocaust. Part one of My Family, the Holocaust and Me, which features both Noemie and her mother Renee, airs tonight, the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht. Noemie tells JR’s Judi Herman more about what drives her in her inspirational work – and what happened when she and her mother went to France.My Family, the Holocaust and Me with Robert Rinder airs Monday 9 & Monday 16 November. 9pm. FREE. BBC One & ONLINE. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000pbwkFind out more about Noemie’s work at holocaustmatters.org

Next week the Union Theatre plays virtual host for the most fantastical what-if dinner party imaginable and everyone's invited. Steven Carl McCasland’s female-fuelled drama Little Wars, streamed online, unites iconic witty literary figureheads Gertrude Stein, Alice Toklas, Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman and Agatha Christie, plus anti-fascist freedom fighter Muriel Gardiner. In a comedy that truly resonates today, these women of all creeds (Jewish, gay, straight…) find themselves round a boozy dinner table in wartime France as the Nazis invade. Ahead of the release, JR's Arts Editor Judi Herman spoke to playwright McCasland, plus cast members Linda Bassett (Stein) and Debbie Chazen (Parker) about the fascination of these women – for the audience as much as the playwright and cast – as wits, their loves and rivalries, and their feistiness and sheer bravery in very different times to ours.Other members of Little Wars' star-studded cast include Juliet Stevenson (Hellman), Catherine Russell (Toklas), Sophie Thompson (Christie) and Sarah Solemani (Gardiner). Funds raised will be donated to the charity Women for Refugee Women.Little Wars streams Tuesday 3 – Sunday 8 November. £12. ONLINE. www.littlewars.co.uk

With their live performances cancelled, members of Mosaic Voices (New West End Synagogue’s resident choir) have been working hard to continue to bring you their unique music. Released earlier during the pandemic are four music videos written and recorded at various stages of the lockdown, featuring Yiddish lullaby ‘Rozhinkes mit Mandlen’, an ‘Over the Rainbow' rendition of the hymn ‘Adon Olam’, a lively ‘Yism'chu’, and a musical setting of Psalm 23 (The Lord is My Shepherd). All pieces were either composed or arranged by Benjamin Till, composer in residence. Whether they are arranged for singing a capella or with instrumental accompaniment, they all have in common just a small ensemble of voices. The group's founder and musical director, Michael Etherton, spoke to JR's arts editor Judi Herman about the making of these beautiful, inspiring and life enhancing musical films.Since they spoke, Mosaic Voices have released more videos, including 'Shomer Yisrael' ('Guardian of Israel'), 'Avinu Malkeinu' ('Our Father, Our King') and 'Feed the Birds', from Mary Poppins. All videos are available to watch on their YouTube channel.

"You see with manuscript illustration how much exchange there was between Jewish communities and their host communities" Ahead of the opening of the British Library's new exhibition, Hebrew Manuscripts: Journeys of the Written Word, JR’s Arts Editor Judi Herman explored it via a virtual private view. There she met Cassy Sachar, librarian at Leo Baeck College, so the pair got together online later to share their thoughts on this stunning and deeply rewarding display of rarely-seen treasures from as far back as the 10th century. Pieces come from Europe and North Africa, through to the Middle East and China, taking viewers on a "journey beyond the Bible to discover the history, culture and traditions of Jewish people from all corners of the world through the ages". The collection spans science, religion, law, music, philosophy, magic, alchemy and Kabbalah, and explores the relationships between Jews and their neighbours in the communities in which they lived.Photos by David JensenHebrew Manuscripts: Journeys of the Written Word runs Tuesday 1 September 2020 – Sunday 11 April 2021. British Library, NW1 2DB. www.bl.uk

London-based simcha band The Matzoh Boys have created a “virtual simcha dance“, so people in the community can still enjoy a dance to their favourite simcha tunes at home during lockdown. JR’s Arts Editor Judi Herman found herself on her feet dancing as soon as she clicked on the link to their wonderfully life-affirming video. So she got in touch with vocalist Jonny (pictured centre) and trumpeter Jake (pictured fourth from right) to talk about the band, their music, how they made their video “in the safety of their homes” and how they were doing in lockdown.Be part of the on-screen joy!With the virtual simcha dance video, The Matzoh Boys wanted to recreate the joyous feeling people get while dancing to uplifting music, so they have a special request: they’re asking people to share videos of them dancing on social media using the hashtag #MatzohBoysVirtualSimcha.Visit www.matzohboys.com to find out more.

“We decided to actually go and try and find every footstep of Mary’s” Maisie outside Mary’s home on Boterdiepstraat When Maisie Barnett signed up for the Yad Vashem Bar/Bat Mitzvah Twinning Programme, she and her mother Thamar went more than the extra mile to find out all they could about Maisie’s ‘twin’ Mary, a Dutch youngster murdered by the Nazis long before she could celebrate her bat mitzvah. They found Mary’s best friend Renate, who guided them around Amsterdam to where she and Mary had lived and played all those years ago. They made a moving short film of their journey and Renate was present as guest of honour as Maisie read from the Torah at her bat mitzvah at Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue in July 2019. Here Maisie and Thamar talk to JR’s arts editor Judi Herman about their extraordinarily meaningful and memorable experiences and expand upon making their beautiful film. Watch Maisie and Thamar’s film on Vimeo and read more about Maisie’s experience with the Twinning Programme in the July 2020 issue of JR.

This week sees the start of Steve Waters’ Miriam & Youssef, a podcast and radio drama series for BBC World Service, charting the turbulent decades leading up to the founding of Israel. The playwright spoke to JR's Arts Editor Judi Herman about the ambitious project, which is told from the viewpoints of two former neighbours: Miriam, a Jewish refugee who emigrates to Palestine, and Youssef, a Palestinian Arab. Set between 1917 and the foundation of the state of Israel in 1948, their lives are intertwined with real historical characters and events. The series co-stars Shani Erez as Miriam and Amir el Masry as Youssef. Listeners may remember hearing Israeli actor Erez speaking to Judi last year, when she played Shylock as a proud widow and mother in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s hugely successful reimagining of The Merchant of Venice for schoolchildren.At the heart of Waters' ambitious project is the city of Jerusalem, seen during the three decades of the British Mandate. The drama also features real-life figures, including David Ben-Gurion, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and American intellectual Rabbi Judah Magnes, whose lives intersect with the core fictional characters.Episode one of Miriam & Youssef is available now on BBC World Service.

Stephen Laughton’s play One Jewish Boy, which enjoyed a sold-out run at Islington’s Old Red Lion Theatre, has now transferred to London’s West End. Laughton discusses with JR Arts Editor Judi Herman how he has welcomed the chance to develop this moving two-hander, which explores a young family’s struggle against fear, prejudice and the identity inheritances that haunt us. He also expands on how he's updated a play originally written from a place of genuine fear and as an urgent response to overt antisemitism – of which he himself has been the target – in light of the acceleration of hate crime incidents in the UK and elsewhere.One Jewish Boy runs until Saturday 4 April. 7.45pm, 3pm (Sat only). £20-£47.50. Trafalgar Studios, SW1A 2DY. https://trafalgar-studios.comAlso listen to our interview with Robert Neumark-Jones (who plays Jesse).

In Paul Kember’s award-winning comedy drama Not Quite Jerusalem, four young Brits flee grim divided London of the late 1970s for Israel, in search of sun and fun on a kibbutz working holiday. Except it turns out to be more hard work than holiday under the blistering Middle East sun. There's conflict alienation and resolution, and at least one love story in store, as they get to know their kibbutznik hosts. The show broke box office records at the Royal Court Theatre, where it premiered in 1980 and revived in 1982. Now it’s the choice of Finborough Theatre to celebrate the 40th anniversary of both the theatre and the play. In a brief break from final rehearsals, director Peter Kavanagh spoke to JR’s Arts Editor Judi Herman about the play and about the UK and Israel – then and now.Not Quite Jerusalem runs until Saturday 28 March. 7.30pm, 3pm (Sat & Sun only). £18-£20, £16-£18 concs. Finborough Theatre, SW10 9ED. www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

Lionel Bart’s musical Blitz! is currently enjoying a well-deserved revival at London’s Union Theatre. This is Bart’s autobiographical love letter to the East End, where he grew up, in which he pays tribute to the wartime spirit of the Londoners who lived through Hitler’s devastating aerial bombardment of the capital. JR’s Arts Editor Judi Herman spoke to Jessica Martin, who plays the indomitable Jewish matriarch Mrs Blitzstein (based on Bart’s own mother) and Danniella Schindler, who plays her eldest daughter Rachel Finklestein.Blitz! runs until Saturday 7 March. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Sat & Sun only). £22, £20 concs, £15 under-18s. Union Theatre, SE1 0LR. www.uniontheatre.biz

“The burning bush is our entire ensemble; and they sing the voice of God so it’s many voices in one” As The Prince of Egypt – the new musical based on the blockbuster film – opens in London, director Scott Schwartz took time out of rehearsals to talk to Judi Herman about what is essentially the story of Exodus. Two young men, raised together as brothers in a kingdom of privilege, find themselves suddenly divided by a secret past. One (Ramses) must rule as Pharaoh, the other (Moses) must rise up and free his true people, the Hebrews, and lead them out of Egypt. Scott elaborates on themes of the show and their relevance today, discusses the vision of the creative team, and reveals what it’s like working your father – in this case, three-time Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell). Stephen has written 10 new songs for the show, including the love duet, ‘Never in a Million Years’, sung by Luke Brady (Moses) and Christine Allado (Tzipporah).On her way out, Judi also stopped off at the costume department to gain fascinating further insight from one of the assistant costume supervisors, Lydia McDonald, who talked through some of the stunning design sketches by Ann Hould-Ward, as well as the materials and trims that go into the making.The Prince of Egypt runs until Saturday 31 October. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). From £19.50. Dominion Theatre, W1T 7AQ. www.theprinceofegyptmusical.comRead our review of The Prince of Egypt on the JR blog.

Theatremaker Miriam Sherwood tells Judi Herman the extraordinary story of her late grandfather, Jan ‘Laco’ Kalina – Slovakian Jewish satirist, joke collector, cabaret creator and radio performer – who survived the Nazis only to be imprisoned by the Communists. He died eight years before her birth, yet thanks to the treasure trove of writings he left behind, he is her collaborator on the show Rendezvous in Bratislava that she dubs "a grandad cabaret". Sherwood talks too about the highly original performance style and musical numbers created with and by her contemporary collaborators: jazz flautist, singer and composer Maria Rehakova, and composer/performers Thom Andrewes and Will Gardner. Listeners also get to hear an extract from the show, the satirical number ‘Socialism with a Human Face’, with words in both English and Slovak that they teach the audience.Rendezvous in Bratislava tours the UK until Sunday 17 May; visiting Oxford (7 Feb), Berkshire (11 Mar), Greater Manchester (14 Mar), London (23-24 Apr) and Yorkshire (17 May). See JR listings for further details or visit rendezvousinbratislava.wordpress.comRead our review of Rendezvous in Bratislava on the JR blog.

An intriguing and moving exhibition came to Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue last week to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Aron Grünhut: Rescuer of the Jews and Human Rights Defender told the extraordinary, and until now little-known, story of this Slovakian Jew who managed to use his business acumen, considerable influence and sheer chutzpah to negotiate with the Nazis to allow over 1,300 Slovakian and Austrian Jews to escape to places of safety, including Palestine and – in the case of 10 children, in collaboration with Sir Nicholas Winton – England. Routes to Palestine by boat involved danger negotiating Europe’s rivers and towards the end of the war, Grünhut’s own luck almost ran out, his life saved only by the courage of a Slovak fireman who hid him.In this podcast, which begins with an excerpt of an address from the Ambassador of Slovakia, Lubomir Rehak, Judi Herman speaks to Ambassador Rehak, Nicky Winton – son of Sir Nicholas – and Israel's Deputy Ambassador Sharon Bar-Li, about this extraordinary man and his story. Herman is a member of NPLS, a congregation with close links to both Slovakia and the Czech Republic as guardian of Torah scrolls from some of the Jewish communities in those countries that did not survive the Shoah.

Survivor of the death camps Zigi Shipper BEM (British Empire Medal) was one of the key speakers at the Association of Jewish Refugees’ (AJR) Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration at Belsize Square Synagogue, with the theme ‘Stand Together’. He is passionate about the vital Holocaust education work for which he was awarded the BEM and proud of his children and grandchildren, who are continuing the work. Judi Herman was privileged to be invited to Zigi's Hertfordshire home to speak to him and his wife Jeanette, and to hear more of his story and some of Jeanette’s too. As well as sharing the horror of his experiences, there was laughter from the life affirming Zigi, who has just celebrated his 90th birthday.The Windermere Children, which Zigi mentions, airs tonight (27 Jan) on BBC2 at 9pm and will then be available on BBC iPlayer. Find out more about what the BBC have programmed to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on the JR blog.

Actor, dancer and influencer from her teens, an acclaimed Cleopatra, impresario – and a Jewish star… This is an apt description of both the eponymous heroine of Ida Rubinstein: The Final Act, and Naomi Sorkin, the multi-talented performer who takes on the title role in this biographical drama. Rubinstein worked with the likes of Diaghilev, Nijinsky and Debussy, and commissioned Ravel’s Bolero! Famed to this day in Russia and her native Ukraine, she is all but forgotten in the West. But all that is about to change now that Sorkin is championing her in this multimedia show, combining text, movement, music, projections and film to evoke the shock of the new in early 20th-century performance arts.In the auditorium of The Playground Theatre – one of London’s newest and the only theatre in White City, which she runs with her husband, fellow actor, director and impresario Peter Tate – Sorkin speaks to JR's Arts Editor Judi Herman about her own career, as well as the life and loves of Ida Rubinstein.Ida Rubinstein: The Final Act runs Thursday 23 January – Saturday 15 February. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (1, 8 & 15 Feb only). £22, £18 concs. The Playground Theatre, W10 6RQ. https://theplaygroundtheatre.london

Licoricia of Winchester was a name to be reckoned with in 13th-century England, and not just because it suggested delicious sweetmeats. This astute and resourceful businesswoman, moneylender and friend to royalty was also a wife and mother, whose second husband David of Oxford – one of the wealthiest Jews in the country – divorced his first wife to marry her. She was twice confined in the Tower of London and sadly suffered the ultimate reversal of fortune – she was found murdered in her Winchester home in Jewry Street.Her story plays an important role in the history of the Jewish community in England, particularly before its expulsion in 1290, and indeed a vital part of the history of women in Medieval England. Now the Jewish community is joining with others in her home of Winchester to celebrate the life of this prominent daughter and to share the often troubled early history of the city’s Jewish community.An appeal is well underway to raise money for a statue by multi-award-winning sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, to be sited in the heart of the city on Jewry Street itself. Last year, Judi Herman went to the unveiling of the maquette of the statue and met some of the key figures behind the project, including Maggie Carver, Chair of the Licoricia of Winchester Statue Appeal, and the sculptor himself. Before signing off, Judi visits Winchester to check out the proposed site of the statue, appropriately located outside the Winchester Discovery Centre.By Judi HermanTo find out more visit https://licoricia.org

Busy theatre producer Katy Lipson divides her time between Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre and a raft of venues in London and across the UK. Her production company, Aria Entertainment, has two stellar shows transferring from Manchester to London (and other UK venues) this January, but took some time out tell us about her life, work and forthcoming productions. Rags the Musical – with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), music by Charles Strouse (Annie) and book by Joseph Stein (Fiddler) – follows Jewish immigrants working every hour G-d gives them to build a new life in turn-of-the-century America, while Mame (music and lyrics by the great Jerry Herman), a show replete with glitz and glamour despite its Depression setting, tells of the eccentric bohemian of the title, who steps up to care for her orphaned nephew.By Judi HermanRags the Musical runs Thursday 9 January – Saturday 8 February*. 7.30pm, 3pm (Thu & Sat only). £18.50-£32.50, £16.50-£23.50 concs, £15-£20 under-16s. Park Theatre, N4 3JP. 020 7870 6876. www.parktheatre.co.uk*On Sunday 19 January there will be a gala fundraiser: The Spark of Creation. This includes a panel discussion and Q&A, featuring Stephen Schwartz. 7.30pm. £60-£65. All proceeds go towards Rags the Musical.Mame: Life’s a Banquet runs Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 January. 7.45pm, 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). £24-£40. Royal & Derngate, Northampton, NN1 1DP. www.royalandderngate.co.uk

“I was saddened that as a Jewish musician I wasn’t familiar with these composers and these works” Brundibár Arts Festival's Artistic Director, Alexandra Raikhlina, launched the UK event in 2015. Taking place annually in Newcastle, the festival is dedicated to music and arts of the Holocaust and takes its name from Hans Krása's children's opera Brundibár (Bumblebee), which was performed in Terezin concentration camp. Raikhlina, a hugely talented violinist and graduate of the Yehudi Menuhin School, reveals the inspirations that led her to found the festival and tells us about her own background. She also highlights some key events of the 2020 festival, which opens on National Holocaust Day.By Judi HermanBrundibár Arts Festival runs Monday 27 January – Tuesday 4 February. Various times, prices and venues in Newcastle and Gateshead. www.brundibarartsfestival.comRead more about Brundibár Arts Festival and Karel Švenk’s play The Last Cyclist, which will be performed at the festival, in the Jan 2020 issue of JR.

As acclaimed as he is controversial, Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai speaks to Judi Herman about the theatrical staging of one of his films in London this month, as well as his screening at the UK Jewish Film Festival. The performance of A Letter to a Friend in Gaza, based on his 2018 film of the same name, features four actors from Israel and Palestine, onstage with Gitai himself and three musicians, seeking common ground between the opposing sides. At UKJFF his 2018 film A Tramway in Jerusalem takes its audience on a tram journey that reflects the city’s fragmentation, even as it celebrates its diversity. Note: this conversation was recorded before the current escalation of tensions and violence in Israel and Gaza, which sadly makes it all the more timely.A Letter to a Friend in Gaza runs Monday 18 - Saturday 23 November. 7.30pm. £30, £25 concs. The Coronet Theatre, W11 3LB. 020 3642 6606. www.thecoronettheatre.comA Tramway in Jerusalem takes place Thursday 21 November. 8.30pm. £15. Ciné Lumière, SW7 2DT. https://ukjewishfilm.org

In an exciting production from Director Robin Belfield, theatregoers as young as primary school age are being introduced to the Bard in an engaging, thought-provoking and funny new way. The Royal Shakespeare Company is currently touring Belfield's 90-minute adaptation of the Merchant of Venice, which involves audience participation, student actors playing Jessica and Lorenzo and a woman in the role of Shylock. Judi Herman captures the essence of the show in her latest podcast, which features music from the production, verdicts from young members of the audience, and an interview with Israeli actor Shani Erez, who plays Shylock as a dignified businesswoman and single mother.Photo by Sam AllardFirst Encounters: Merchant of Venice tours until Saturday 16 November, visiting Cornwall (29-30 Oct), Devon (31 Oct), Kent (2 Nov), Yorkshire (5-8 Nov) and Nottingham (15-16 Nov). See the JR listings for info or visit www.rsc.org.uk; and read our five-star review of the show on the JR blog.

Israeli writer, educator and theatre artist Stav Meishar is currently performing her one-woman show, The Escape Act, based on a true wartime survival tale. Speaking to JR's Arts Editor Judi Herman, she explains how she discovered the story of Irene Danner-Storm, a Jewish circus performer who survived World War II thanks to the generosity of non-Jews Adolf and Maria Althoff, who hid her in their circus. Danner-Storm was a member of the Lorch family, a German Jewish circus dynasty founded in the 19th century, and not only survived by joining the Althoff Circus, but found love too. In this podcast, Meishar talks about her research and how the resulting show is now part of a whole Holocaust learning experience, which also includes lectures, workshops and an exhibition. She also reveals how she met up with nonagenarian Momo, the Moroccan acrobat who was inseparable from Danner-Storm and her Christian lover Peter the Clown, in a heartwarming story of inclusivity in defiance of the Nazis.The Escape Act runs Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 October. 8pm. £10. CircusMASH, Birmingham, B14 7RA. www.brownpapertickets.comThe show then run Tuesday 29 October. 8pm. £12, £10 concs. The Lowry, Salford, M50 3AZ. https://thelowry.comYou can also see it at Limmud Festival Sunday 22 – Thursday 26 December. https://limmud.org/festival

From his loft high over Soho, Man Booker Prize-winning author Howard Jacobson speaks to JR's Arts Editor Judi Herman about his latest novel, Live A Little, which chronicles the joys – and humiliations – of romance in old age. He also reads an extract from the book, as well as discussing his despair at the cynical antics of our prime minister. And don't even mention "the will of the people"…Photo by Rob GreigLive a Little by Howard Jacobson is out now, published by Jonathan Cape, £19.99. www.penguin.co.ukAn abridged version of this interview also features in the Oct 2019 issue of JR.

Fresh out of drama school, actor Isaac Gryn is currently starring in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first hit musical Oklahoma! in the all-singing all-dancing role of Will Parker, rodeo lassoing champ and ardent suitor of flirty Ado Annie, the ‘Girl Who Can’t Say No’. As you might guess from his surname, Isaac is the grandson of the late, great Rabbi Hugo Gryn, Holocaust survivor and for decades the go-to media rabbi, with regular appearances on BBC Radio and deservedly much loved by folk of all faiths and none. Gryn has clearly inherited his grandfather’s warmth and charisma. It comes over in his terrific high energy performance, though whether Rabbi Gryn counted lassoing among his skills remains a secret. Here Gryn speaks to JR’s Arts Editor Judi Herman about the show, its creators and learning to lasso, as well as his faith, family and the legacy of his grandfather.Oklahoma! runs until Saturday 7 September. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Wed & Sat only, plus some Thu). £10-£55. Chichester Festival Theatre, West Sussex, PO19 7LY. 01243 781 312. www.cft.org.ukRead our review of Oklahoma! on the JR blog.

Czech Routes features the work of 21 painters, printmakers and sculptors, many of whom fled to Britain as racial and political refugees from National Socialism in the 1930s. These include sculptor Anita Mandl and painter-printmaker Käthe Strenitz, just two of the 669 ​Kindertransportees​ rescued by British humanitarian Nicholas Winton. Also represented are works by subsequent generations of Czechoslovakian artists, including Irena Sedlecká, who fled her country’s totalitarian Communist regime in the 60s, as well as those who, between the 1970s and 1990s, have made the positive decision to immigrate to Britain to study and develop professionally. The exhibition showcases work drawn primarily from the Ben Uri Collection alongside external loans from important private collections.Czech Routes runs daily until 21 April and then on Mondays only until 20 May. Viewing is by appointment. Ben Uri Gallery, NW8 0RH. 020 7604 3991. www.benuri.org.uk

Jews, Money, Myth is the new exhibition at the Jewish Museum London exploring the ideas and stereotypes that link Jews to money. At a time when antisemitism is on the rise in the UK and beyond, it is especially timely, examining and busting as it does so many of the myths that reinforce prejudice. Join curator Joanne Rosenthal as she takes Judi Herman on a tour of some of the highlights of the exhibition and explains the vision behind it.Jews, Money, Myth runs until 7 July. Jewish Museum, NW1 7NB. 020 7284 7384. www.jewishmuseum.org.ukRead more about the exhibition in the Apr 2019 issue of JR.

Playwright James Phillips talks to Judi Herman about the award-winning Rubenstein Kiss. Inspired by the haunting true story of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, who were executed in 1953 for allegedly providing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union, Phillips tells their story. The Rubensteins are a deeply devoted Jewish couple, whose Communist idealism leads to their world being torn apart by suspicion and treachery, which then echoes through the generations.The Rubenstein Kiss runs until Saturday 13 April. 7.30pm, 3pm (Sat & Tue only). £22, £18 concs. Southwark Playhouse, SE1 6BD. 020 7407 0234. http://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Caroline, Or Change, the multi-award-winning musical by Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori, draws on Kushner’s Deep South Jewish childhood to tell its tale of changing times in 60s America. The action takes place at Chanukah in 1962, as shockwaves from the assassination of JFK on 22 November rock America and the world. Aaron Gelkoff plays Noah Gellman, a nine-year-old Jewish boy whose relationship with his family’s black maid Caroline (played by Sharon D Clarke) consoles him more than his stepmother ever can after the death of his mother. Sue Kelvin plays the doting Grandma, mother of the boy’s bereaved father. Judi Herman caught up with both actors to discuss their preparations for the roles; the experience of black and Jewish minorities in 60s Louisiana and how it chimes with our current uneasy times of racism and antisemitism; and what it takes to be a star in musical theatre today – both upcoming and experienced.Caroline, Or Change runs until Saturday 9 February. 7.30pm (Mon-Sat), 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). From £20*. Playhouse Theatre, WC2N 5DE. 084 4871 7631. www.carolineorchange.co.uk*A limited number of £5 tickets are available to ages 16-25 on the day of performance and in person from the Playhouse Theatre box office. There is also an offer on that allows anyone named Caroline a free ticket when also purchasing another paying ticket. ‘Carolines Go Free’ is an exclusive offer available via the box office in person or by phone.Read our five-star review of Caroline, Or Change on the JR blog.

From the Canadian Jewish writing team Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away tells the incredible true story of how the residents of Gander, Newfoundland, welcomed the passengers of planes from around the world grounded by the 9/11 attacks, including a stranded rabbi from London. As the show arrives in London via Dublin this January, the real life rabbi – Leivi Sudak of Edgware Lubavitch – tells Judi Herman the full story of the welcome with which he was blessed in Gander, and the support he in turn was able to bring to other passengers and to a Holocaust survivor who had made his home in Gander.His story is in two parts and both share wonderful instances of the kindness of Gander’s residents. The first ends on a bit of a cliff hanger, while in the second listeners will find out how a fellow passenger, an Israeli Jewish Buddhist, ended up peeling potatoes with Rabbi Sudak to help prepare a Shabbat meal. Discover kosher wine in a Gander supermarket, hear the remarkable story of that Holocaust survivor, and the nail-biting story of how Rabbi Sudak made New York in time for Rosh Hashanah thanks to a 500-mile dash by an extraordinary Gander couple.Come From Away runs Wednesday 30 January – Saturday 25 May. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Wed & Sat only). From £19.50. Phoenix Theatre, WC2H 0JP. https://comefromawaylondon.co.uk

Speaking from his Milwaukee home, Richard Kalinoski talks to Judi Herman about his play, Beast on the Moon, which comes to London’s Finborough Theatre at the end of January. Set in 1920s Milwaukee, his story follows the fate of an ill-matched couple, Aram and Seta. The immigrant refugees are thrown together in the aftermath of the Armenian massacre, trying to rebuild their lives, which is eventually made possible thanks to a youngster from the Italian community.Beast on the Moon runs Tuesday 29 January – Saturday 23 February. 7.30pm, 3pm (Sat & Sun only). £18-£20, £16-£18 concs. Finborough Theatre, SW10 9ED. 012 2335 7851. www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

The grandparents of Alexander Bodin Saphir were among 7,000 Danish Jews who were saved from the Nazis in October 1943 and this daring episode is the subject of his new play, Rosenbaum’s Rescue. Ahead of its premiere at London’s Park Theatre, and our article about the play and its very personal story in the January issue of JR, Alexander met up with Judi Herman during Chanukah, when he told her more about his own background and how the story of the play – part of which takes place during Chanukah – is relevant to the festival’s message of defiance and freedom.Rosenbaum’s Rescue runs Wednesday 9 January to Saturday 9 February 7.30pm, 3pm (Thu & Sat only). £18.50-£32.50, £16.50- £23.50 concs. Park Theatre, N4 3JP. 020 7870 6876. www.parktheatre.co.uk

Borders/Games is the new double bill from playwright Henry Naylor, currently playing at London’s Arcola theatre. Borders, he explains, is “the story of the 21st century in 70 minutes – 9/11, bombs, Bono and Bin Laden”. While Games, set in Berlin, 1936, is about “Europe fracturing, antisemitism rising and right-wing populism surging”. Judi Herman, an old friend of Naylor’s from the days when both of them contributed to BBC Radio 4’s topical comedy show Week Ending, caught up with him to discuss his move from comedy to drama. Find out how he was inspired, for his most recent plays, to write about the plight of a contemporary Syrian graffiti artist struggling to use her art to bring down the Assad regime. He pairs her story with that of two promising Jewish women athletes, who faced horrific prejudice in their bid to compete for their country in the 1936 Olympics.Borders/Games runs until Friday 21 December. 7pm (Mon-Sat), 2.30pm (Sat). £10-£22 (per play). Arcola Theatre, E8 3DL. 020 7503 1646. www.arcolatheatre.com

It’s the season for Chanukah fun, and laugh-out-loud slapstick comedy with music doesn’t come any funnier than the smash hit show The Comedy About A Bank Robbery. Producer Kenny Wax and Mischief Theatre have just announced an extension until at least November 2019! And the good news is that Jenna Augen is to continue in the role of resourceful bank receptionist Ruth Monaghan. Judi Herman and Jenna last chatted on JR OutLoud when she was one of the four stars of another smash hit – Bad Jews – so Judi was delighted to meet up again to talk farce, diamond heists, bad puns, accents, Jewish roles and much more.The Comedy About A Bank Robbery runs until Sunday 3 November 2019. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Sat only), 3pm (Sun only). £10-£72.50. Criterion Theatre, W1V 9LB. 084 4815 6131. www.bankrobberycomedy.com

“With the shadow of hatred festering at its very core,” writes Stephen Laughton of his latest production, “[One Jewish Boy] is a bittersweet comedy fuelled by antisemitism.” To discuss this and more, Judi Herman caught up with actor Robert Neumark Jones, who plays leading man Jesse. The pair delve into Laughton’s story of one Jewish boy and his life, love, family and marriage, and how these strands are affected by antisemitism.One Jewish Boy* runs Tuesday 11 December – Saturday 5 January. 7.30pm, 3pm (phone for matinee dates). £18.50, £15.50 concs. Old Red Lion, EC1V 4NJ. 033 3012 4963. www.oldredliontheatre.co.uk*Play contains bad language

Stewart Clarke stars in Trevor Nunn’s new production of Fiddler on the Roof, playing Perchik the student revolutionary who falls for Tevye’s second daughter Hodl. As the much-loved musical about the poor Jewish milkman, his wife and five daughters by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick readies to open at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory*, Stewart sits down with JR’s arts editor Judi Herman. The pair discuss tradition and revolution, Anatevka and Siberia, and the resonance of the story of Tevye and his family that has touched hearts and minds worldwide.Fiddler On the Roof runs Friday 23 November – Saturday 9 March 2019. 8pm (Tue-Sat), 3.30pm (Sat & Sun). £45-£49.50, £39.50 concs. Menier Chocolate Factory, SE1 1RU. 020 7378 1713. www.menierchocolatefactory.com*Performances are currently sold out, but check the Menier website for returns and to register for news of extra performances or transfer plans. Returns on the day of performances are possible for those able to register in person at the box office (opens 6pm for evening performances and 1pm for matinees).