A clever, chaotic Jewish heist comedy with political bite
Directed by Emma Jude Harris (Stage’s Fringe Five 2024), Revenge: After the Levoyah is an exciting, fast-paced, incredibly funny, yet refreshingly thoughtful piece of new theatre. Nick Cassembaum’s (Fringe First winner and Popcorn Writer’s Award nominee) script spits and crackles with chutzpah, unpacking different ways to be Jewish in the UK following the pre-pandemic furore surrounding the Labour party.
Set in 2019, Jewish twins from Essex Dan and Lauren attend their grandfather’s funeral only to be caught up in 80-year old East End gangster Malcolm Spivek’s urge to ‘do something’ about the rise in antisemitism, fuelled by increasingly frothing media coverage. His plan for action takes the form of kidnapping Jeremy Corbyn. Oy.
Gemma Barnett and Dylan Corbett-Taylor’s acting is a feat of technical skill and physical endurance, portraying a sprawling cast between only the two of them. It is credit to their talent that smooth, lightning-quick character transitions hilariously and effectively evoke a bustling shiva (“‘you shouldn’t cook in a time like this’ – Eileen hands me a ziploc bag of fish goujons”), a full-blown, multi-factionary shoot-out (“we can’t tell you who we are, but let’s just say our boss wears a crown!”), and a hodgepodge, wisecracking octogenarian hit squad (“at least we weren’t florists – what are you gonna do, arrange them to death?”). The siblings’ initial shared disbelief at Malcolm’s heist plot, before becoming swept up in the pleasurably absurd action grounds the production and mirrors the audience’s experience beautifully.
Alys Whitehead’s set design is fantastic, with red threads criss-crossing over our heads echoing the chaotic plans drawn up on revolving blackboards, locations and targets connected by red string. Clearly there is much untangling to do – of mass hysteria, inflammatory reporting of the UK press, the path to radicalism, and genuine fear, such as that of Dan and Lauren’s nan, who becomes afraid to leave her flat amidst the balagan. Pivotal moments of the kidnapping are comically undercut with the doubts and revelations of even Jeremy’s kidnappers – ‘I always quite liked him’, offhandedly comments one of the motley crew, a doc marten-sporting, ex-ANTIFA liberal rabbi. The production succeeds particularly in its intelligent presentation of a range of different Jewish voices and opinions (as it should – what’s new?).
Continuing to have conversations about antisemitism in the UK, unknotting very real prejudice from the harmful misuse of the term with ulterior, obstructing motives, and with the effect of undermining genuine threats, remains of the utmost importance. This week, over 800 British Jews have signed a letter condemning the Metropolitan Police’s attempt to ban a march on questionable grounds of antisemitism. After the Levoyah is a beacon of hope and reason, in spite of its frenzied, surreal events – our world is desperate for art such as this.
Revenge:After the Levoyah plays at the Yard Theatre until 25th January. Tickets here.