A five-week run of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre has been canceled following a dispute over the inclusion of pro-Palestinian and pro-transgender rights content.

The production, a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare's classic set in modern-day Manchester with a drum and bass soundtrack, was scheduled to run from September 6 to October 12. Initially, the theatre cited cast injuries and technical issues for early cancellations. However, on September 14, ticketholders were informed that the entire run had been axed. 

Sources close to the production revealed to the Manchester Evening News that tensions arose after an internal preview on September 6. The controversy centered around a song intended for audience participation, which reportedly included references to trans rights and the phrase "free Palestine". The production's poster, with its rave-like imagery and drum and bass theme, bears a grim resemblance to the Nova Festival, where Hamas terrorists killed and took hostage numerous attendees during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which led to the current war in Gaza.

Theatre management allegedly requested the removal of these elements, but director Stef O'Driscoll, supported by the cast, insisted on retaining them as integral to her artistic vision. "The director said 'No, this is my direction, it's what it's always been, we've had weeks and months and you are now trying to change it after the first preview,'" a source told the MEN.

As the disagreement escalated, performances were postponed and eventually canceled. The Royal Exchange Theatre confirmed that a preview on September 6 was canceled due to a cast member's injury, with subsequent shows postponed citing "ongoing technical difficulties".

Attempts to resolve the dispute included a meeting between theatre staff and the company last Wednesday, hours before a scheduled press preview. Acting union Equity and directors' union Stage Directors UK were also involved in mediation efforts.

Despite these attempts, no resolution was reached. "On Wednesday the cast were called in for a meeting at 11 a.m. to resolve it, they couldn't," a source explained. "At the weekend they couldn't agree, the director had walked, so they canceled it."

The theatre has committed to refunding all ticketholders in full. Acting union Equity confirmed that the cast and workforce will be paid for the entire run, a decision that is expected to cost the theatre tens of thousands of pounds.

The cancellation represents a significant setback for the Royal Exchange Theatre, which has faced financial challenges in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. "This is a big deal for them. They've been through the wars financially, through COVID," a source commented.

The Royal Exchange Theatre stated that "every effort was made to get the show on" but ultimately decided to cancel the production due to "a number of issues". The theatre has not provided further details about the specific nature of these issues.

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In a move to bridge cultural divides and foster understanding, Israeli actress Mai Tzuriely is set to embark on a unique theatrical journey to Germany. Her mission: to perform "Ma Achshav?" ("What Now?"), a gripping play that emerged from the crucible of one of the darkest days of Israeli history. The production, penned by Roee Lahav Feinmesser amidst the chaos of his reserve duty call-up following the Oct. 7 Hamas onslaught, promises to offer German youth a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the Israeli psyche during times of crisis.

The play, which premiered two months into the war, centers on two high school students trapped in a shelter during a missile barrage. Their confinement becomes a backdrop for exploring how young people cope with sudden, drastic changes in their world. Directed by Alon Getzovich and featuring Tzuriely alongside Liron Noah, the Mishkafayim Theater production faces the challenge of translating complex local experiences for an international audience.

For Tzuriely, the performance carries personal weight. Her husband Assaf's family in Kibbutz Re'im lived through the Oct. 7 attack. "I'm married to Assaf, who was born and raised in Kibbutz Re'im. His parents and sisters still live there, and for me, it's another home," Tzuriely explained. She recounted the tense hours as family members sheltered in safe rooms, some facing direct threats.

"On the morning of Oct. 7, although we were in Tel Aviv, our entire family in the kibbutz entered their safe rooms, each in their own home, and we felt as if we were with them," she said. "His older sister was with us in Tel Aviv while her husband, a member of the local security team, was in the kibbutz with their children. He himself neutralized a terrorist who tried to break into their home. His younger sister remained in the safe room without electricity for 22 hours, and we only had contact with his parents when they opened the safe room door due to poor reception. When we realized the extent of the damage to the kibbutz, which houses were burned, and where the terrorists had been, we grasped how fortunate our family was to have survived this terrible event," Tzuriely recounted.

The actress hopes her connection to events will add depth to the performance, but acknowledges the difficulties in conveying such experiences to a foreign audience. The production includes post-performance discussions, aiming to provide context often missing from international news coverage.

When asked about the significance of performing for non-Jewish youth in Leipzig, Tzuriely emphasized, "We're going to perform for young people in various schools in Leipzig, Germany. It's an important trip precisely because we're dealing with non-Jewish youth who have no connection to Israel or Judaism."

Reflecting on the play's potential impact, Tzuriely elaborated, "The play illustrates the inconceivable situation we've been living in for almost a year, not to mention past wars and operations. Its strength lies in speaking from the perspective of the youth living here, who are facing conscription, dealing with the same fears adults have but don't always know how to express. Our ability to convey to youth in foreign countries the same feelings every Israeli knows can raise awareness, empathy, and hopefully, a true understanding that in the end, we all want to live our lives in peace and without fear."

Addressing theater's role in public diplomacy, Tzuriely expressed measured optimism. "I believe the play has genuine explanatory power because it provides an authentic perspective of people in times of crisis and war, and a basic desire for security," she said. "It touches on difficult questions that will hopefully prompt the audience to seek answers rather than continue to be influenced by social media trends."

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Israeli theater continues to serve as a cultural ambassador for the nation, and on Nov. 17, a four-day event co-sponsored by the Culture and Sports Ministry and the Foreign Ministry will see the curtain go up on 13 Israeli plays that will debut internationally in an online format.

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Of the 100 plays submitted to the committee in charge of making the selections for iSRA-DRaMA – International Exposure of Israeli Theatre 2021, 13 were selected.

The event will also include various online meetings and discussions about issues such as the burgeoning trend of theater versions of productions that started as other media; works focusing on fluidity of the concepts "masculine" and "feminine"; gender issues in the #MeToo age; and Israeli plays that saw success around the world.

The festival will launch with a special session titled TRANS-FORMANCE, in which author A.B. Yehoshua, Director-General of Habima Theater Noam Semel, Sapir Prize winner Noa Yedlin, singer and conductor David Zebba; director Yair Sherman, and actor and director Dr. Roy Horowitz are slated to participate.

This year, special emphasis will be placed on women creators in theater, such as Aya Kaplan, Rotem Volk, Daphna Silberg, Shirli Deshe, Michal Savironi, Yael Rasoli, Maayan Kilchevsky, Tali Hecht, Hadar Galron, Noga Ashkenazi, and the late Nava Semel.

For more information and to view the selected productions and events, visit the iSRA-DRaMA website.

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The opening night of "Bar Mitzvah Time" at the Mesamhey Lev theater in central Israel is promising to be an extraordinary one, with Yinon Davidian, a 16-year old Ultra-Orthodox actor with Down syndrome, to take the lead role.

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"For years, I hoped to make my theater dreams come true, day and night – and here we are, I succeeded," Davidian told Israel Hayom. 

"Bar Mitzvah Time" was created especially for Davidian by well-known Haredi Israeli actor Ofer Halevi. It has already been performed at schools and ultra-Orthodox cultural events. 

Q: What was it like preparing for the play? Was it difficult for you to learn your script?

"Not at all. It was easy. I learned the script by heart when they gave it to me, and when they made changes afterward, I managed to learn them as well."

Q: The play was delayed for a year and a half because of the pandemic. How did you deal with that? 

"I continued going to yeshiva, composing music, playing the keyboards. I also recorded a video for Israelis during this time to cheer up those who could not leave their homes [due to a lockdown]. I sang them happy songs."

Davidian's video was posted on the Hidabrut website, popular among Haredim. 

Q: What else do you like to do in your free time? 

"I like to sing at weddings, to make the bride and groom happy, but also at bar mitzvahs and other events. I like to have fun, to make people happy. When there is an event at our yeshiva, everyone jumps on me and sings. I create melodies for Psalm verses, and sometimes I play music and sing songs and compose my own."

At every performance, Davidian is supported by his parents, Dan and Anat, who were both born in secular families and became religious later in life. 

Dan: "In the beginning, Anat was in a complete shock, as all mothers are when they find out they are carrying a baby with Down syndrome. It took Anat a year to come to herself. I, in turn, had a more practical reaction. I mostly thought of what we were supposed to do now. We went to ask a rabbi whether we should continue to have children because Anat was very worried. The rabbi encouraged us to continue, not to stop, and with God's help, [he said that] every child born next will only be good for Yinon. And that is exactly what happened." 

Anat: "We had two more children after Yinon, and it was very good for him. As a child, he functioned, spoke and sang - and now he even stars in a play." 

The couple has seven children altogether, Yinon was their fifth child. 

Dan: "When Yinon was born, we were advised to treat him as a normal child, like the rest of our children. We fully adhered. When one believes that everything comes from God, he knows to accept that all is for the best because it comes from love."

Davidian studies at a yeshiva in Bnei Brak, where he learns the Talmud, Jewish law and Torah commentary. It is at this yeshiva that his theater journey began. 

"I saw Ofer and his colleagues at a performance at the yeshiva, and I really wanted to join them," he said. "To perform alongside them. They are awesome."

Halevi runs the Mesamhey Lev theater. Just like Davidian's parents, he too, became religious. 

The two met when Davidian was volunteering with colleagues at the Bnei Brak yeshiva, performing a play. 

Halevi: "I saw Yinon, a sweet child, who wanted to go on stage and participate, and we invited him. I did not think that anything more would come of it until one day his father, Dan, called me and said, 'Yinon has a dream to star as a real actor in one of your plays, and I want to help make his dream come true. What do you think?'

"In the beginning, I was skeptical," Halevi continued. "I spoke to Izo Leibowitz, who would eventually become the director of the play, and we created a minor role for Yinon. But when we met him and saw what he could do, we realized that he is very talented and he can play a lead role. 

"That is when we decided to come up with one just for him, with a story that would have a connection to him. The message of the play is that if you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything. When I saw the parents, how much they invested in Yinon and how much they believed in him, it encouraged me to create a play for him, a professional production with professional actors.

"Yinon read the Torah scroll at his bar mitzvah. For a child like him, to read the Torah is very rare. What stood out in his story is the possibility to communicate to the audience an important message."

"Bar Mitzvah Time" tells the story of a young boy – portrayed by Davidian – who promises to help his friend who has no money to create a video for his bar mitzvah. He turns to an actor for help – portrayed by Halevi – whose colleague had just left town unexpectedly and needed help to stage a play. That is when he tells the boy, "It is not that I am helping you, rather you are helping me."

Halevi: "In another part of the play, my character – a father – has a son born with Down syndrome and sinks into a terrible depression. Yinon comforts him, and strengthens him, and shows him a different perspective on children with Down syndrome, and gives the father hope."

Q: Did the theater operate during the coronavirus? 

"We had several performances scheduled, but the coronavirus brought everything to a stop. After the lockdowns, we began performing the play and already have shows scheduled in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva, Holon and more. 

"Our goal is to get people to see youth with Down syndrome with acceptance. Several times throughout the play, Yinon says, 'I am normal, I am just like you.'"

Mesamhey Lev is located in Elad, where Halevi and his family live. It has been staging plays for more than 20 years. According to Halevi, only recently have plays performed for Haredi audiences become professional.

Q: Haven't there always been plays for the ultra-Orthodox?

"There were some, but it was never anything professional. These weren't graduates of acting schools. We, who became religious, but had already performed in the secular world, brought something new to the community." 

Q: When did you start creating plays for Haredim? 

"The plays were initially intended for non-religious audiences, but we noticed all of a sudden that the halls were filled with ultra-Orthodox viewers to the brim. We even hired security guards for the entrances because so many tried to enter. That is when I understood I had a mission. 

"I felt I had an opportunity to communicate messages that I believe in through my acting. After consulting with a rabbi, I came up with the idea of a Haredi theater with professional productions, with lighting, sound and decorations, and the works. With time, we grew and currently have 10 plays we perform, which have been seen by approximately about a quarter of a million people."

Q: Who are the actors playing in your theater? As we know, there are no acting schools for Haredim. 

"That's true. Most of our actors became religious. Very few actors are actual Haredim, from birth. I only have one such actor on my staff. He used to be a teacher in Beit Shemesh, and one day he decided to make his dream of becoming an actor come true and turned to us. He was a very good student, for he has a natural talent for acting, and since then, he's been performing in our plays." 

According to Halevi, the Haredi community has become more accepting of theater and demand for acting has been on the rise.

"We are planning to establish a Haredi acting school in Elad soon," he said. "A special one for youngsters, a completely professional school. Both boys and girls will be able to study there, in separate classrooms, two or three times a week. 

"The Haredi community is very open now to accept things like this. They have come to understand that art is part of Jewish culture, and that through art one can communicate a message in a way no less effective than a lecture, if not more."

The seasoned actor said that even ultra-Orthodox rabbis come to Mesamhey Lev. 

"Quite a lot of Haredi rabbis come up to me and say, 'I also deserve to spend a few hours relaxing, laughing and disconnecting," he said. 

Mesamhey Lev is currently seeking official recognition from the Culture Ministry, which would in turn, provide more funds. 

"We don't receive funding right now, but we are negotiating with the Culture Ministry to recognize us as a theater," Halevi said. "I hope in the future we will be able to receive funds that will help us continue our work. There is some discrimination in this matter, for we are a Haredi theater, no doubt."

Q: What is your audience like?

"Our plays can fit any audience, we adapt ourselves. Of course, we mostly target ultra-Orthodox viewers, but we have performed in front of religious Zionist and secular people as well."

Q: What about female audiences?

"We have a separate theater for women as well, in which only actresses perform. I run this one as well. We hope to have even more plays and more performances, which, hopefully, we will arrange once we have more funds." 

Q: What is the main message you try to convey through Mesamhey Lev?

"The importance of accepting someone who is different. In one of our plays, there's a line where I say, 'All wars in the world happened because we did not respect the other person's choice.' Our motto is accepting a person with differences, and Yinon's play comes just in time to convey that message."

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Sixteen years have passed since Israel's 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip, and to mark the occasion, the Gush Katif Heritage Center is hosting a conference in Jerusalem.

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The conference, to be held at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, will include a documentary theater production by spoken word artist Zvia Margaliot based upon texts written during the disengagement.

One portion of the performance centers on a dialogue between an IDF soldier's mental checklist in preparation for the disengagement and a speech delivered by a resident of Neve Dekalim to prepare his friends for the nonviolent struggle against the community's eviction.

"I am not from Gush Katif, I live in Jerusalem. But like every other national religious person, I was involved in the struggle against the disengagement. Nevertheless, until I had kids, I wasn't qualified to understand what they went through over there, the abyss people reached," Margaliot said.

Margaliot, who has competed in poetry slam competitions, said: "Four years ago, the Gush Katif Center contacted me, and I did a spoken-word piece for them about the disengagement. Later, I proposed documentary theater. It has power. Three pieces I wrote and directed will be shown at the conference. One of them is based on the personal diary of an 18-year-old young woman who documented her emotions during the disengagement."

Margaliot said it was emotionally difficult to read the stories of people who were forced to leave their homes.

"This is a story that has influence even 16 years later," she said. "Families have fallen apart, some people became ill, got divorced. I also know people who say they lost their sanity. It's important to me, through this performance, to expose the influence the disengagement had on people, still today. The lack of trust in the judicial system among members of this public is the result of the disengagement. There are all kinds of things that need to be talked about," she said.

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