Paved with Gold and Ashes – review: a powerful all-female debut set in New York
Julia Thurston's play, at the Barons Court Theatre, Kensington, is set in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory and tells of hardship, friendship, love and tragedy
Paved with Gold and Ashes is a jewel of a play that comes to London after a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Set in New York’s infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the year is 1911 and the action follows the lives of five young women, all immigrants to the USA – the land where the streets are paved with gold. Based on a true story, the beautifully worded script – the first play of New Yorker Julia Thurston – combines with acapella to produce a powerful and dramatic play.
“I first learned about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in a history lesson, at school,” said Julia. “I would often pass by the factory’s site and I felt I wanted to know more about the people who worked there and the terrible tragedy that happened. And when I started to research it, I knew there was a play that needed to be written.”
Two of the factory workers are Jewish. Everleigh Brenner plays Rose, the rabbi’s daughter, and Serena Lehman plays Ida, a young, pregnant, woman engaged to Max. Julia, who is not Jewish, sought the advice of a Jewish friend when creating their characters. Shul-goers will recognise the beautiful sounds of Mi Shebeirach, the prayer for healing and finding strength and courage.
All five of the all-female cast are New-York born. Playwright Julia Thurston and Caroline Letelier play the Italian immigrant sisters Lucia and Rosaria, with Olivia Gaidry playing Irish immigrant Annie. All accomplished and talented performers they transport the audience back in time and into the cruel and harsh world of the garment industry at the turn of the century.
The clatter of the sewing machines creates the background sound in this tale of hardship, friendship, love and tragedy. The direction – the cast, rather than have an outside director, chose to direct the play themselves – is faultless.
Brought to London by Three Dumb Theatre this performance lasts just 60 minutes, but it is well worth a trip to Kensington. The Barons Court Theatre is a tiny space but Paved with Gold and Ashes packs a huge punch. It may be set in the past, but its themes still resonate today. It forms part of a double bill with a second all-female play, Fire Embers Ash, about another true story, the first all-female aviation team of the Second World War.
• Paved with Gold and Ashes is at the Barons Court Theatre, London W14, until 27 January 2024
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.