Your article (Actors protest over the ‘Jewface’ casting of play, 24 August) was a response to the open letter sent by 22 Jewish actors, directors and playwrights criticising the upcoming production of Falsettos at The Other Palace theatre. Though I find use of the term “Jewface” grating, Jewish cultural appropriation is a serious problem on London stages.
Falsettos’ production company, Selladoor, said it did not ask cast members about religion, gender, age or race because it would be inappropriate to do so, but fails to realise that Jewish culture doesn’t fall exclusively under any of those categories; setting aside whether white-presenting Jews are white, Judaism isn’t just a religion or ethnicity. So when we talk about Jewish culture, specifically in theatre, Jewish representation can fall through the cracks – whitewashed, or attributed to actors of other BAME backgrounds.
This predicament is exacerbated by the fact that a vast percentage of musical theatre is written by Jews. And when Jews write about Jews, they often do so with a big helping of self-deprecation.
But most of this Jewish musical theatre is imported from New York, where context is different. Jews are less marginalised on Broadway. Jewish culture isn’t part of British culture the way it is part of American culture, especially in theatre. Prejudice against Jews is different here. In March, the Guardian published an article about the secret history of UK Jewish theatre, and the challenges theatre-makers face.
When a Jewish audience member on Broadway hears non-Jewish actors sing Falsettos’ opening number, Four Jews in a Room Bitching, it feels different from how it does in London. It’s the difference between being in on the joke, or the joke being on you.
David Djemal
Co-founder and writer for the JEWish Cabaret, London
