September 30, 2012

Director Peter Brook threatened with legal action over his support for BDS

This is all over the net now but here's The Jewish Chronicle:

The Cameri Theatre in Tel Aviv is considering legal action for breach of contract against the veteran British theatre director, Peter Brook, after he pulled out of its annual International Festival of Plays in December.
The Paris-based Mr Brook, 87, is director of Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, which was due to perform The Suit, a play set in apartheid South Africa, at the festival.
"set in apartheid South Africa"? The Israelis can certainly do irony.

There's a mention in the article of "pressure from BDS" but see this:

Mr Brook signed a letter to the Cameri which said: “The fact that the Cameri Theatre has accepted to support the brutal action of colonisation by playing in Ariel [in the West Bank] has made us aware that in coming to your theatre we would appear as a support for that brutal action.
“This forces us to decline your invitation to perform in your theatre. The decision is entirely ours, and not to come to you, it is our free choice.
“We know that there are many amongst you and in your country who share our attitude and it is them we wish to support as well as the people of Palestine.”
The front page of the print edition is about how BDS isn't too popular with the UK public but it does seem to be going from strength to strength.

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