Oy Vey! JMI comes to Edinburgh!
posted 23 July 2007

JMI comes to Edinburgh brings a host of talent to the C Venues, with an exciting programme to explore and celebrate Jewish culture from around the world, including new theatre, comedy, poetry, cabaret, klezmer and music theatre. This diverse group of performers will bring both laughs and sentiment to the Fringe, in a line-up specially curated and promising top-notch entertainment in over a dozen spectacular offerings.

German Jewish comedy stars, The Tad Brothers, make their Fringe debut with an hilarious whodunnit, Murder On The Panini Express, in 60 minutes of fast-paced wit, laughter and physical comedy. Actress and virtuoso clarinetist, Neyire Ashworth present Stenclmusic – a new solo instrumental theatre piece based on stories and memories from ex-residents of Spitalfields and Whitechapel in London ’s East End .

New Theatre from the Jewish Diaspora includes Gimpel The Fool, a classic morality story that has inspired audiences throughout the world, written by nobel laureate I.B. Singer and brought to the C Venues from Israel’s Nepesh Theatre. Tara Moses’ While You Were Away is the story of a eccentric twenty-something Jewish actress’s hapless life. She turns down the chance to travel the world with her friends to focus on her career, and we join her in the ensuing adventures. Rafael Goldwaser’s tour de force performance of three Sholem Alechem monologues, S’Brent, has been already been seen and commended all over the world – now it’s Edinburgh ’s chance.

Jewish Cabaret features a mixture of music and stand-up comedy and poetry: Woody Allen with a piano, Daniel Cainer, performs How To Be Jewish, an intelligent, irreverent, topical, musical storytelling. Adam Taylor brings his acclaimed humorous poetry in God’s Face Appeared In Your Gazpacho, an offbeat, satirical look at things Jewish and things not so Jewish. Canadian comic, writer and recovering academic Judy Batalion presents Judy Batalion is… Totally Chana Senesh, an entertaining one-woman show which includes stand-up, storytelling and satirical lectures in an attempt to explore the dilemmas of Jewish identity faced by third generation Holocaust survivors. Ethnic Shtick is an intimate and inspiring fusion of poetry, autobiographical storytelling and Jewish soul music from Laoise Davidson and Leah Thorn, and I’m A Stranger Here Myself is the not-to-be-missed offering from Mark Troop and Antonia Schnauber, exploring the Jewish-inspired origins of German cabaret through the music of revered composers Kurt Will and Friedrich Hollander.

To top it all off in the last week of the festival, there is fantastic Klezmer music from Edinburgh maestros Beyond The Pale. Playing in the old European style with acoustic instruments, the exuberant group will recreate the original spirit of the music, with much of their repertoire transcribed from original early twentieth century recordings.

Director of JMI, Geraldine Auerbach, says, “There is such a wealth of talent around the world reflecting the range and strength of Jewish cultural creativity. The Jewish Music Institute is pleased to be able to provide the framework for artists and companies to showcase new Jewish work and make a real impact on the wider arts world at the Edinburgh Fringe.”

JMI comes to Edinburgh ’s Artistic Director, Philip Parr, says, “Over the last year, it’s been tremendously exciting working with artists from all around the world to bring this programme to Edinburgh , highlighting the most exciting work reflecting and reacting to Jewish culture today.”

The Jewish Music Institute is dedicated to the celebration, preservation and development of the living heritage of Jewish music for the benefit of all. All performances take place at C Venues.

TIMETABLE

• Stenclmusic: Aug 3rd – 27th C Soco Studio 3 – 12.00
• Murder On The Panini Express: Aug 3rd – 27th C Soco Studio 3 –13.15

New Theatre from the Jewish Diaspora
C Soco Studio 3 15.45:

• Gimpel The Fool – Aug 3 rd – 12 th
• While You Were Away – Aug 13 th – 20 th
• S’Brent – Aug 21 st – 27 th

Jewish Cabaret
C Central Cabaret Bar 19.30:

• The Jewish Chronicles – Aug 1st – 11th
• God’s Face Appeared In Your Gazpacho – Aug 12th – 15th
• Stand-up – Judy Batalion – Aug 16th – 19th
• Ethnic Schtick – Aug 20th – 23rd
• I’m A Stranger Here Myself – Aug 24th – 27th

Klezmerchaos
C Central Cabaret Bar 22.30:

• Beyond The Pale – Aug 22nd – 27th C Central Cabaret Bar

Download the timetable

All artists are available for interview. Photos also available on request. Press enquiries to Philip Parr (Artistic Director) Angela Byrne abyrne[at]hotmail.co.uk (Press and Marketing) - T: 07837 677 954