Seven Jewish children and possibly some Jewish grown-ups too

Oh my goodness, antisemitism is coming to the Hackney Empire in a big way. Not only are they showing 7 Jewish children: a play for Gaza, but also they are showing The Trainer which I think might also depict a Jew, maybe more than one.

Here's the notice on the Stop the War site:

Tony Benn introduces Two Plays for Gaza

Hackney Empire 291 Mare Street London, E8 1EJ
Thursday 21 May 2009 at 7.30 pm

Performed by Tim Pigott-Smith, Janie Dee, Jana Zeineddine, Roger Lloyd Pack and others.
Plus music by Reem Kelani and rap artist Lowkey (Long Live Palestine...)

Tickets £15 Book online: Book Online or call the Box Office on 020 89852424
Two Plays for Gaza on Facebook and Twitter

Seven Jewish Children. Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Seven Jewish Children

Caryl Churchill's 10-minute play about the attack on Gaza was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre in February 2009.

In seven scenes parents, grandparents and relatives debate how much children should know and not know: from the Holocaust to the foundation of the state of Israel, through the many Middle East wars, up to this year's invasion of Gaza.

Caryl Churchill will present her play with the original cast from the Royal Court production.

"Shows theatre's power to heighten consciousness and articulate moral outrage." - The Guardian. Read review here

Seven Jewish Children: Moral outrage? Or anti-semitism?...

The Trainer. Photograph Guy Smallman

The Trainer

The Trainer – is a surreal comedy about the ‘terror’ laws as they descend into farce. Composer Keith Burstein sues the Evening Standard after being accused of 'glorifying' terror in his opera, Manifest Destiny. When his case goes to the Appeal Court, the judges go to a gym to exercise between court sessions. The gym trainer is Leila, a young Palestinian woman.

"Gripping drama. A passionate and telling condemnation of an injustice made possible by the anti-terrorism laws." - Michael Kustow, theatre director, former Channel 4 arts commissioner

Staged reading directed by Tom Platten.

Here's the blurb from the Hackney Empire itself:

The Trainer explores the love story between a British Jew, Josh, and his Palestinian fiancée, Taghreed, who works in a gentlemen's gym. Their story is interwoven with the bankrupting of composer, Keith Burstein, who was accused of "glorifying terrorism" in his opera, Manifest Destiny. The Trainer casts a sly, satiric look at the absurdity of many of the UK's terror laws. This eclectic, contemporary drama uses a multimedia approach with excerpts from Manifest Destiny, film footage and TV interviews with a terrorism "expert". You will laugh and cry about the savagery and stupidity of the times we are living in. The star cast includes Janie Dee, fresh from her starring role in Alan Ayckbourn's A Woman in Mind at the Vaudeville and Roger Lloyd Pack, "Trigger" from Only Fools and Horses. Corin Redgrave, who appeared at the first sold-out rehearsed reading in March said, "The Trainer takes the scandal of an artist bankrupted by the state . . . and brilliantly exposes the threat to our freedoms and civil liberties."

I would have posted this sooner but I wanted to make sure I had my tickets first, which I now have.

Enjoy!! erm, if you can get tickets.