The Bondi Theatre Company will stage the Australian Premiere of the iconic musical sketch comedy show You Don’t Have To be Jewish this October and November at two Eastern Suburbs venues.
The sketches and songs were first released as a record album in 1965, penned by a team led by Grammy Award winning broadcaster Bob Booker. Timeless sketches in the musical revue include The Reading of the Will, The Plotnik Diamond and A Call from Long Island.
Now aged ‘91 years young’ Bob Booker says he is thrilled that the production will be staged in Australia for the first time.
“I loved Australia every time I visited. My daughter worked there after school and had an apartment two blocks from Bondi Beach,” he said.
Stage versions of the album have been produced in the United States and the most recent was in Los Angeles and Miami under the direction of Jason Alexander.
Bob Booker’s first hit was a satire of President Kennedy called The First Family which won him a Grammy. He steered clear of politics after that to pen You Don’t Have To Be Jewish and later When You’re In Love The Whole World’s Jewish. The ideas sprang from jokes told to him at a lunch of legendary Jewish comedians including Zero Mostel – Broadway’s first star of Fiddler on the Roof and featured on both albums.
Booker says the album is still popular today because “funny is funny.”
“It was the heart and soul that other humour does not necessarily have, because the people behind it have the heart and soul, and the gift of humour.”
Directing the production is Sydney theatre personality Ruth Fingret.
“I grew up with the albums in the background,” says Ruth. My father played it to us over and over. Some of the jokes have sunk into popular culture.”
Veteran West End theatre couple Linal Haft and Buster Skeggs are returning to the stage together for this Australian premiere.
Linal and Buster met in 1969 when they were cast in a season of The Merchant of Venice at the Old Tote Theatre (forerunner of the Sydney Theatre Company). Since then they’ve performed separately and together on stage and screen, all over the world, including the last 40 years based in London. Now they’ve settled back in Oz!
“Having been working in this profession for 62 years, it’s a joy to perform this hilarious work, which will be one of many highlights in my long career!” said Buster Skeggs. “Every sketch still makes me laugh my head off, as it did when I firsht bought the LP back in 1965. It’s as funny now as it was then.”
Linal Haft says he always enjoys treading the boards with his wife. “Since we married in 1971, we’ve worked together many times in the UK, sometimes with the added joy of playing opposite each other,” he said. “A highlight was performing in London’s West End with Jeff Goldblum who has since become a dear friend.”
Joining Linal and Buster in the ensemble are Geoff Sirmai, Liz Hovey, Andrea Ginsberg and James Burchett with musical direction and choreography by Aaron Robuck.
Bondi Theatre Company producer and theatrical agent David Spicer says he is continually surprised by the wide recognition for these sketches – well beyond the Jewish community.
“When it was staged in the US, members of the audience were known to call out the punchlines, so we might need to ask patrons to “stay schtum” (keep quiet), when making the usual mobile phone warning before each performance!” he said.
The production marks the return of the East Sydney independent theatre company after a break of three years. Its first ten performances of You Don’t Have To Be Jewish will be staged at the recently – spectacularly – upgraded Bondi Pavilion Theatre from October 25 until November 5. Four more performances follow in the newly renovated Emanuel Synagogue Woollahra from November 15 to 19 2023.
All tickets available now! www.bonditheatrecompany.com.au