Antisemitism artwork by Lily Ash Sakula
New show Antisemitism: a (((musical))) comes to Southampton on November 1st. Creator, Uri Agnon, a PhD student and outreach fellow at the Parkes Institute for the Study of Jewish non-Jewish Relations at the University of Southampton talks to Sally Churchward about its background and significance.
Composer and playwright Uri Agnon began working on the intriguingly titled Antisemitism: a (((musical))) around four years ago, shortly after moving from Jerusalem to the UK.
Supported by Arts Council England, the Royal Victoria Hall Foundation, the Hinrichsen Foundation and the Parkes Institute and JW3, the show is the story of an Israeli Jew’s first 24 hours on British soil. He is thrown into a wild journey full of absurd characters including his bickering aunts, a drunken lord and a pair of kidnappers.
“I was interested in how different it felt to be Jewish here; within an Israeli context being Jewish means having specific privileges, being part of the hegemonic identity in a deeply racialised society. Here however, the seemingly identical identity is marginalised,” he explains.
“I’ve grown up knowing that the Jews were the ‘other’, and often an oppressed ‘other’ throughout history, this is a foundational fact of Jewish traditions, literature, liturgy, and memory. But growing up in Jerusalem it was only that, while here I had to navigate the ways in which it takes present form.
“Antisemitism was (and still is) a hot topic of debate, and I felt alienated from what the most vocal voices were saying about it (either that it is the most important part of British politics, or that it is completely invented). I felt my own positions on the questions of Jewishness and antisemitism were in flux, and, being a composer and playwright, I decided to use artistic tools in order to further investigate my feelings about these issues.
“At the same time I started working as an outreach fellow at the Parkes Institute for the Study of Jewish non-Jewish Relations at the University of Southampton, where I am studying for a composition PhD. As part of this role I coordinated events in which experts discussed antisemitism, politics, and culture.”
Uri drew on his own and wider experiences to create the show: “Antisemitism: a (((musical))) is a personal piece, but it isn’t based solely on my own experience; it was greatly inspired by both private conversations and public events by the Parkes Institute.
“For example, the title of the show’s “I want” song, “White But Not Quite”, was inspired by something Professor Shirli Gilbert said on “South African Jews, the Holocaust and Apartheid” at the 2020 Karten Memorial Lecture. The two-day event “Antisemitism On The Left” also gave me a lot of interesting material to work with. The work also incorporates “found” material, real texts – both contemporary tweets, and old documents found in the Parkes Institute archives.”
Inevitably, recent atrocities in Israel and Gaza and their ripples around the world have impacted on reactions to the show.
Uri continues: “The show was always going to be political, and stir strong reactions, as it touches on deeply political, and emotional subject matters. However the recent and ongoing escalation of violence has obviously shaped both our process and the way people enter the show. Hamas’s atrocities against Israeli civilians on and since October 7th, the unjustifiable Israeli attack on the people of Gaza, the rise of antisemitism here, and the dehumanising public discussion, all mean that putting on this show is more difficult, but in no way less pressing.
“I would rather not put this show on at such a moment, because I wish such a moment did not exist, but since it does, I’m proud that we are able to express a message that is both nuanced and unapologetic.”
Uri adds: “A repeating response we’ve received after the show is that for many it was the first time they laughed since these horrors began. Humour is at the heart of this show. I didn’t want to write a long and dry analysis of antisemitism or create a list of grievances. I think humour is an effective tool that allows us to see things anew, and I think the musical, aside from being a very Jewish artform, is the perfect genre to look at these heavy subjects in a new light.”
The show has roots in Southampton and received its first airing in the city.
“In 2022 we had a workshop on the piece, which ended with a work-in-progress performance at Turner Sims,” says Uri.
“It felt very good to share this in Southampton and that performance sparked many meaningful conversations, so we’re all very much looking forward to returning to Southampton at the end of this current run of the full show.”
- Antisemitism: a (((musical))) will be at God’s House Tower, Southampton, on November 1st, with shows at 6.30pm and 7.30pm (please note the revised time). For tickets and more information, click here.
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