Jewish cabaret returns to the stage after hiatus due to October 7
New work by 13 writers will be performed in JEWSicals at artsdepot
THE JEWish CABARET is triumphantly returning to the London stage after a two year pause as a result of October 7.
JEWSicals 2025 is its latest showcase of brand new musicals and the show is packed with humour, heart and chutzpah – featuring brand-new work from over 13 writers performed by a cast of West End performers and talented creatives including writers like Ohad Hitman and Annie Marcuson who was in the West End’s original cast of Benjamin Button.
“This night is a celebration of artistic resilience,” says Shar Shamai, Co-manager & Artistic Director of THE JEWish CABARET. “It’s about reclaiming joy, humour, and creative power through our stories. These musicals are full of heart, honesty, and a very Jewish (yet universal) mix of emotions.
“After a difficult pause, where the weight of global events temporarily silenced our work, the company re-emerges stronger than ever, championing new Jewish and Israeli voices and providing a vital platform for artists whose stories deserve to be heard when other doors are closed.”
The line up so far, and there is another surprise opening act still to be announced, includes If I Had Said No by Seth Bisen-Hersh. A poignant song about moral choice and survival during the Holocaust it was written by Seth for MALKA, a forthcoming musical based on the experience of his grandmother who survived the Holocaust, and explores courage and humanity in impossible times.
Mum Thumb by Judith Silver is a touching, music-filled story about a mother and daughter navigating dementia, memory, and love – inspired by the writer’s own family.
Between the Lines by Kara Alberts-Turner is a surreal pop-rock comedy about a writer haunted by her own characters – a sharp, funny, and heartfelt look at creative fear and unrealised potential.
Slaughterhouse 5 featuring Nadav Vikinsky and Orit Gal Lichtenstadt is a psychedelic adaptation of Vonnegut’s classic, following a soldier’s surreal journey through trauma and time.
Matar Gev’s Happily Married is a comedic duet about an elderly couple rediscovering love – or at least laughter – after decades together.
Paper Flowers is Shachar Shamai and Guy Frati’s short new poetic musical tracing an unhealthy gay relationship, as love and obsession collide in a fragile world where dreams and reality bleed into one another.
Uri Lev Tov’s Self Portrait features the song How Does It Feel, and this moving solo piece gives voice to a young woman confronting body image, self-acceptance, and the legacy of generational ideals.
The Cambridge First All-Ladies Fire Brigade – Helen Arney, Brian Mackenwells & Jenni Pinnock are showcasing an inspiring musical comedy based on true events – Britain’s pioneering all-female fire brigade taking on tradition and flames alike.
And last, but very definitely not least, there is Penny Schwartz – Ohad Hitman & Shirili Desha’s witty, satirical journey of a small-town secretary escaping into a vivid fantasy world of fame, glamour, and identity.
JEWSicals is at the artsdepot on 22 November 8pm. artsdepot.co.uk
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