Pretty Woman the Musical removes ‘antisemitic’ joke from show
Producers remove 'Shabbat' pun from the script of the hit show after complaint from theatre-goer
Producers of a West End show have removed a joke from the script after an audience member complained it was antisemitic.
In emails seen by Jewish News, producers of ‘Pretty Woman the Musical,’ Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), agreed to remove a quip that contained a play on the words ‘sabbatical’ and ‘Shabbat’.
In response to the complaint from Ms Lewis, of Hampstead Garden Suburb, ATG said: “It is a simple switch to button that scene differently and [we] will subsequently cut the line.”
The show previously contained an exchange between main characters Kit and Rachel:
Rachel: Where’s Vivian?
Kit: She’s on a paid sabbatical
Rachel: I didn’t know she was Jewish!
ATG also confirmed that the decision to drop the line was supported by the show’s US-based director Jerry Mitchell and writer J.F. Lawton, who wrote the original screenplay for the 1990 film.
The producer added that no audience member had previously complained about the line. Lewis told Jewish News that although the gag was “not the most serious in the world,” she was “absolutely delighted” that ATG had decided to remove the line.
She added: “I am not calling [ATG] antisemitic as such, but it just felt out of place and was incredibly jarring.”
Currently showing at London’s Savoy Theatre, the show is an adaptation of the 1990 film starring Julia Roberts. The original film, about a wealthy businessman who pursues a relationship with a Hollywood prostitute, did not contain the shabbat pun, although the picture’s gender politics have been questioned in recent years.
In her original complaint, Lewis accused ATG of “not understanding the issue” and needing to “further educate itself.” She added: “It’s important to remember that even seemingly innocuous comments can be harmful or offensive when they rely on stereotypes or assumptions about a person’s identity.”
Dave Rich, director of policy at the Community Security Trust, said: “The theatre appears to have responded with sensitivity to the complaint they received, and the minor change they made to the script avoids any potential misunderstandings in future without significantly affecting the musical itself.
“While this is not the most serious example of antisemitism in theatre, when it is easy to make a small change like this then it makes sense to do so.”
Some viewers in the US, where the musical originated, took a different view.
Writer Sandi Masori asked: “Is it because we are such great patrons of theatre that we deserve to have a mention, nod or joke tossed out to us? I was glad to have my Jewish angle without resorting to playing ‘guess if any of the actors are Jewish.’”
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.
