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Mike Leigh casts Jewish family

Updated: 20/Sep/2005 16:57

Mike Leigh on the set of Vera Drake

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The long awaited mystery play by acclaimed English-Jewish writer Mike Leigh finally opened in London last week to sell out crowds.

The production, entitled ‘Two Thousand Years’, attempts to find humour in the everyday machinations of a London Jewish family.

The title of the play had been kept secret from the public, yet due to Leigh’s fine reputation and critical success the play sold all of its 16,000 tickets without purchasers even knowing the title.

The story itself revolves around a Jewish family from North London which is avidly secular yet struggles with its identity as socialist ideologues and Jews.

Contemporary issues

The play deals with many of the contemporary issues that Jewish secular families face in their lives. Zionism is explored and the family gives vent to their opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Leigh's Filmography

- Bleak Moments (1971)
- Hard Labour (1973)
- Nuts in May (1976)
- Abigail’s Party (1977)
- Grown-Ups (1980)
- Meantime (1983)
- High Hopes (1988)
- Life Is Sweet (1990)
- Naked (1993)
- Secrets & Lies (1996)
- Career Girls (1997)
- Topsy-Turvy (1999)
- All or Nothing (2002)
- Vera Drake (2004)

The socialist beginnings of the kibbutzim – or collective villages- become a heated topic with the aged grandfather of the family increasingly disappointed with the situation the kibbutz finds itself today.

Leigh’s main plot in the play revolves around the family’s reaction to finding their son become observant and donning a kippah (skullcap). The family is at a loss as to how to deal with the situation and Leigh has the father of the family comment on his son’s religious leanings ""It’s beyond me. It’s like having a Muslim in the house, a Martian."

The plot also reveals the daughter of the family is dating an Israeli kibbutz member of played by Nitzan Sharron. Sharron, born and raised in Jerusalem, has been in London for almost 20 years and seems to have finally landed a role in the limelight in Leigh’s new play.

Mixed reactions

Some critics have said that this new play is not up to Leigh’s usually high standard. Nicholas De Jongh of the London Evening Standard said of ’Two Thousand Years’ that it does not quite get to the heart of the important issues it creates, "Disappointingly, though, the play titillates rather than fully engages," De Jongh stated.

Theatre-goer Johnny Peters of Highgate said of the play, "As a Jew I could relate to a lot of the Meshuggenah (crazy in yiddish)of the family and I laughed heartily at the speech that could have been taken out of the mouths of my own family."

This is the first time in more than 10 years that Mike Leigh has written a play for the theatre. Leigh is more famous for his direction in films like Oscar nominated “Drake” and “Secrets and Lies”’.

Day in history

4 July 1976

The Entebbe Rescue

256 hostages from an Air France plane are held prisoners by Palestinian terrorists and Ugandan soldiers at Entebbe airport.

After 8 days they are rescued by Israeli commandos in a brilliant ruse under the command of Yonatan Netanyahu, brother of the current Israeli Prime Minister, who was shot in the back during the rescue.