CULTURE
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The Passenger ★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
Hannah Schmidt (set and costume design) uses the small intimate space of the Finborough’s auditorium ingeniously, leaving it as simply a square of red chairs, within and around which the action takes place, affording both actors and audience opportunities to engage briefly as they pass. The stations where Silbermann finds himself turned back, revealed by Mattis Larsen’s clever lighting, which…
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Learning ★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
Another inspired idea in the writing is to have both Franco and Delvallé playing the roles of the counsellors to whom each turns as their relationship threatens to break down. It has flared into fury on Debs’ side and to Jonathan’s consternation, when he appears in tsitsit (fringed Jewish garment) and kippah. Additionally, as their respective counsellors are not Jewish,…
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September 5 ★★★★
A gripping retelling of a horrific moment in sporting history The events of the massacre at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich are well known. Eleven athletes and coaches of the Israeli Olympic team were attacked in their apartments at the Olympic Village by a Palestinian terrorist group calling themselves ‘Black September’. Two of the hostages were shot and killed…
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Meet the Artists — Jewish Renaissance
Introducing the six artists selected for JR’s inaugural Artist Development Scheme Following 7 October, JR is more committed than ever to supporting the creation of Jewish culture, as well as reporting on it. Therefore, in 2025, we’re running our Artists Development Scheme. We’re delighted to announce the six artists chosen to participate: Bruno Grad, Coral Harding, Emma Grant, Esther Gabrielle…
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The Lady who Changed Dickens’s Mind on the Jews — Jewish Renaissance
Dickens’s act of “atoning” came in literary form. His last completed novel, Our Mutual Friend (his 14th), contained the character of a “benevolent Jew”: Mr Riah. Though Dickens didn’t explicitly acknowledge the link between the creation of this character and their correspondence, Mrs Davis would lay claim to Mr Riah; and John Forster, in his biography of Dickens, and with…
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A Dog’s life in Germany in the 1930s — Jewish Renaissance
Shahaf Beer’s one-person play (performed by Harry Drummond) is inspired by the bestselling novel by fellow Israeli Asher Kravitz. The entire story is narrated from the perspective of the central character – a dog. Fellow dog lover and owner Judi Herman spoke to Beer to find out more about the production. Judi Herman: Can you tell us about the unusual technique you use with…
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The Brutalist ★★ — Jewish Renaissance
The film is divided into three parts with a runtime of over three hours, including a 15-minute intermission. The visuals are stunning, particularly a dream-like sequence inside a Carrara marble quarry. The score by musician Daniel Blumberg throbs with a muscular power. Much like László’s buildings, this is a sprawling, ambitious and daring piece of work, which isn’t necessarily a…
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A Complete Unknown ★★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
The story then jumps to 1965. Dylan is now incredibly famous but feeling frustrated, desperate to break free from the stifling constraints of folk’s dogmas. Rebellious, angry and determined to constantly reinvent himself, Dylan begins experimenting with electric guitar. This is anathema to Seeger and the proponents of trad folk. “They just want me singing ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ for…
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Oliver! ★★★★★
Lionel Bart’s classic musical through the generations: Judi Herman reflects on Oliver! since her inaugural childhood visit, as grandson Dylan experiences it for the first time The beloved phenomenon that is Lionel Bart’s Oliver! first opened in London in June 1960. Happily, for me, my parents deemed me old enough aged nine or 10 to see it during that first…
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Road Show ★★★★
Time to hit the road to Highgate to catch this rare Sondheim revival Based on a true – and truly American – story of aspiration, ambition and brotherly rivalry over decades, this Stephen Sondheim musical makes a return to London. Alongside collaborator and book writer John Weidman, the US composer has worked on factual musicals before, including Pacific Overtures and…
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