CULTURE
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Jewvenile ★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
As well as passing on his survival instinct, Maier’s father gifted his son a sense of humour, albeit often dark. Working on being a good grandpa, Werner went with one of Maier’s kids to see a Spider-Man movie. Maier asked how he liked the film. “Worst experience of my life,” he said, “and I survived Nazi Germany.” At this Duchess…
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The Tasters ★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
It’s a well-made film, with strong performances and decent cinematography. Hitler’s physical absence from scenes is particularly effective. It creates a constant, looming sense of unseen oppression and dread signalled primarily through sound. The noisy cacophony of his train passing through the countryside, indicating his imminent arrival at the Wolf’s Lair. His personal chef telling an anecdote about how Hitler…
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The Holy Rosenbergs ★★ — Jewish Renaissance
While it may be relevant to today’s headlines, The Holy Rosenbergs says little topically and skimps on innovation artistically. These shortcomings are glaring, especially when compared to a gem like Nick Cassenbaum’s Revenge: After the Levoyah, the powerful satire that inspired spirited debate about activism, hypocrisy and familial duty in Jewish Britain. Or Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon, an American…
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Yentl ★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
The curtains sweep back to reveal a stage layered to be interior and exterior at once – comprising grass, woodland, ladders and furniture – plus perfectly-placed translations of the Yiddish dialogue that shares the script with English. The narrative follows the growing intimacy between Amy Hack’s passionate and voluble Yentl and Ashley Margolis’ gallant Avigdor. Where it diverts from Singer’s…
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“Brian fancied the hell out of The Beatles” — Jewish Renaissance
Brian was discharged from the army, probably because he was gay. He went to drama school, got caught cottaging and was arrested, and kept that from his family. Then, in Liverpool, he got beaten up when he was cruising in the docks and was blackmailed. With the support of his family he took the case to the police. But to…
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Broken Glass ★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
Dr Hyman’s wife Margaret, a sympathetic Nancy Carroll, also becomes involved, fascinated by this particular case of her husband’s. Meanwhile, Phillip’s employer Stanton Case (Nigel Whitmey), the head of a bank of mortgage lenders, proves an unempathetic boss as their relationship descends into an argument that brings on a dangerous, potentially fatal, illness for the beleaguered Phillip. Though the characters…
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Adam Kammerling — Jewish Renaissance
You’ve been working on Seder for quite a while. When did it start? The show started in the pandemic, in 2020, but the project started some years before that. In 2017, I met with the publisher of the book, because the piece began its life as a poetry collection, and asked if he’d be up for working with me if…
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Ukraine Unbroken ★★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
Pressures build to an almost unbearable level in David Greig’s Wretched Things, which is set on the front line, where Ukrainian fighters agonise over whether or not to help an unconscious wounded Korean soldier. Finally, and perhaps the most moving, is Taken by Cat Goscovitch. The play personifies the horrific reality of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia and…
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The Jewish Square Mile — Jewish Renaissance
Archaeology carried out before the Barbican was built reportedly showed some empty grave cuts but little evidence of Jewish medieval life. However, as we pieced together charters, tax rolls and maps, the picture became clear: this community was vibrant, diverse and deeply woven into the fabric of the City. One source of information were the archa records, deeds held locally…
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Here There Are Blueberries ★★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
As with Glazer’s film, the play is really about the chilling ease with which normality sits alongside horror – Hannah Arendt’s ‘banality of evil’ – how everyday, small acts are part of the larger monstrosity. Is a young woman who relays an order for poisonous gas down a telephone line as culpable in genocide as the officer who rounds up…
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