International Women’s Day is celebrated by a British-Israeli collaborative piece of theatre, writes Nick Elvin
International Women’s Day is on March 8, and as a fore-runner to the event, two theatres from two countries have joined forces for a new production.
Hampstead’s New End Theatre has teamed up with the Karov in Tel Aviv, in a production that focuses on the role of women across contemporary British and Israeli society.
SHE London, the first collaboration between these two venues, is a piece of promenade theatre that makes full use of the different spaces within the New End.
The production is directed by Alexa Christopher-Daniels, from the New End, and Dorit Nitai Neman, the founder and director of the creative female programme at the Karov, which is marked annually by the SHE Festival, which allows audience members to pose questions and make observations about the contemporary condition of woman.
SHE London will touch on themes such as desire, conformity, rebellion, dreams and ambitions.
“The central question is what does it mean to be a woman,“ says Alexa, who has directed more than 20 productions for her arts company Gems of Mazal. “It’s promenade theatre: there are going to be six rooms and six separate stories; six spaces will be inhabited by six different performers. None of the stories start and end – the audience come in and leave during the action of each one. They are in groups each with a leader taking them round.“
Alexa and Dorit are the daughters of the two theatres’ artistic directors, Brian Daniels and Nico Nitai. The pair met when Alexa undertook a placement at the Karov. With SHE reaching its seventh year as an annual event at the Karov Theatre, Dorit and Alexa began to explore ways to widen its potential and create artistic opportunities beyond Israel.
“I went to a six month development programme there,“ says Alexa. “It is very similar to the New End in size and focus.
“When I went there I didn’t realise Dorit’s father was in the same position as my father. We had quite a lot in common.“
The cast of six – five female, one male – and the crew have been working over the last few months on the production, and Alexa says there have been many challenges – not least because cast members are based in two different countries. But, she adds, a close bond has formed between all involved.
“It’s difficult not being able to talk to each other about it every day,“ she adds.
SHE London is at the New End Theatre, Hampstead, on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 February, at 8pm. Details: 0870 033 2733, www.newendtheatre.co.uk
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