In conversation: Stewart Clarke

The Fiddler on the Roof actor talks about starring in the new production

Stewart Clarke stars in Trevor Nunn’s new production of Fiddler on the Roof, playing Perchik the student revolutionary who falls for Tevye’s second daughter Hodl. As the much-loved musical about the poor Jewish milkman, his wife and five daughters by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick prepares to open at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory*, Stewart sits down with JR’s arts editor Judi Herman. The pair discuss tradition and revolution, Anatevka and Siberia, and the resonance of the story of Tevye and his family that has touched hearts and minds worldwide.

Fiddler On the Roof runs Friday 23 November – Saturday 9 March 2019. 8pm (Tue-Sat), 3.30pm (Sat & Sun). £45-£49.50, £39.50 concs. Menier Chocolate Factory, SE1 1RU. 020 7378 1713. www.menierchocolatefactory.com

*Performances are currently sold out, but check the Menier website for returns and to register for news of extra performances or transfer plans. Returns on the day of performances are possible for those able to register in person at the box office (opens 6pm for evening performances and 1pm for matinees).

Read our five-star review of the show on the JR blog.

In conversation: Ben Nathan

Semites creator and actor Ben Nathan talks about exploring the common ground between Palestinians and Israelis

In a world of echo chambers, fake news and fear, Ben Nathan’s Semites challenges polarised perspectives by exploring the one indisputable thing that both Palestinians and Israelis have in common: that they are all semites. A term that is often misused. In this thought-provoking new play Nathan invites you to leave your preconceptions at the door and open your eyes, ears and heart. He spoke to Judi Herman about how and why he came to create this show, in which he and fellow actor Lara Sawalha speak verbatim the words of his interviewees of all persuasions in Israel and Palestine. Although their conversation was recorded before the terrible events in Pittsburgh, they only serve to highlight the importance of this vital sort of dialogue.

Read our review of Semites on the JR blog.

Semites runs until Saturday 3 November. 7.30pm. £15, £12 concs. The Bunker, SE1 1RU. 020 7234 0486. http://bunkertheatre.com

Semites then runs in Bristol Tuesday 6 - Saturday 10 November. £12, £10 concs. The Loco Klub, Bristol, BS1 6QH. 011 7941 3857. www.locobristol.com

In conversation: Adam Godley

The Lehman Trilogy actor speaks about starring in the National Theatre production

As the epic story of the three Jewish brothers from Germany, who founded the company that changed the world, continues to storm London, Judi Herman speaks to Jewish actor Adam Godley. The National Theatre production of this trilogy is performed entirely by a mighty trio of actors: Simon Russell Beale, Ben Miles and Godley himself. They play not only the Lehman brothers, but all their descendants and everyone else in this English version, which they helped to develop with adaptor and playwright Ben Powers, as well as director Sam Mendes, from the Italian original by Stefano Massini.

Photo by Mark Douet

All performances are currently sold out, but tickets will be available on the day in person from the box office (at 9.30am) and during Friday Rush, when a number of £20 tickets are released for all NT shows every Friday at 1pm.

The Lehman Trilogy runs until Saturday 20 October. 7pm, 1pm (Tue & Sat only). £15-£67. National Theatre, SE1 9PX. 020 7452 3000. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

In conversation: Barry Humphries and Meow Meow

Aussie performers Barry Humphries and Meow Meow discuss their show, Weimar Cabaret

As Barry Humphries’ Weimar Cabaret prepares for take-off at the Barbican next week, Judi Herman speaks to the stars of the show. Australian actor, artist and comedian (you may well recognise him as Dame Edna Everage) Humphries and fellow Aussie – cabaret performer Melissa Madden Gray, who’s best known as Meow Meow. The pair discuss their passion for the raucous jazz of 1920s/30s Berlin – the backbone of the musical – and the composers and lyricists who were deemed ‘degenerate’ by the Nazis. They also talk about the music’s influence on the Australian, European and American music scenes and Humphries reveals why he gravitated towards Jewish boys at school.

Barry Humphries’ Weimar Cabaret runs Wednesday 11 – Sunday 29 July. 7.45pm, 2.30pm (Wed & Sat exc. 11 Jul), 3pm (Sun only) £19-£75. Barbican Theatre, EC2Y 8DS. www.barbican.org.uk

Read our review of Barry Humphries’ Weimar Cabaret on the JR blog.

In conversation: David Charles Abell

Musical director and orchestrator David Charles Abell discusses his work on Kiss Me Kate

©Guy Farrow

As Opera North revives its acclaimed 2015 production of Kiss Me Kate, the humorous reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Taming of The Shrew by Bella and Sam Spewack, Judi Herman speaks to the show's musical director and orchestrator David Charles Abell. He discusses the Spewacks, the brilliant Jewish husband and wife team, revealing the role the Spewacks played in getting Cole Porter onboard to write the musical that revived his career and is arguably his best and most popular work.

Kiss Me Kate runs Saturday 23 – Saturday 30 June. 7.30pm (Mon- Sat) 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). £10-£105. London Coliseum, WC2N 4ES. 020 7845 9300. www.operanorth.co.uk

The show then tours to Scotland Wednesday 4 – Saturday 7 July. 7.15pm, 2.15pm (Sat only). £15.50-£49.50. Edinburgh Festival Theatre, EH8 9FT. 013 1529 6000. www.operanorth.co.uk

In conversation: Phil Willmott

Phil Willmott talks about directing the European premiere of Arthur Miller’s last play

In two scenes of Finishing the Picture recorded exclusively for JR OutLoud, we meet the outrageous husband and wife acting coaches, based on Lee and Paula Strasberg. In the first extract coach Flora, played by Nicky Goldie, is complaining to producer Phillip, played by Oliver Le Sueur, about ‘horrific’ working conditions and disrespect. Later you’ll hear Tony Wredden as Jerome, Paula’s pretentious husband. The action takes place on a movie set and director Phil Willmott reveals just how personal Arthur Miller gets in this autobiographical play inspired by the filming of The Misfits, Marilyn Monroe’s last movie, for which he wrote the screenplay; and just how resonant the vulnerable star’s treatment is today and the ‘Me Too’ movement.

Finishing the Picture runs Tuesday 12 June – Saturday 7 July. 7.30pm (Tue-Sat), 3pm (Sat & Sun only). £18-£20, £16-£18 concs. Finborough Theatre, SW10 9ED. 01223 357 851. www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

In conversation: Jessica Martin

London actor Jessica Martin talks political plays, Spitting Image and graphic novels

Jessica Martin plays Westminster Council leader Shirley Porter in Gregory Evans’ dark satire charting the events behind the Westminster ‘homes for votes’ scandal of the 1980s. She tells Judi Herman more about the resonance for 2018 of a play staged in a theatre barely five minutes from Grenfell Tower. Martin describes the scandal as “a real-life House of Cards situation” and Porter as “a north London Marie Antoinette”. The Spitting Image star also gives a taste of her Edwina Currie, and we get a peek at some of the exciting graphic novels she writes and illustrates too.

Shirleymander runs Wednesday 23 May – Saturday 16 June. 7.30pm (Mon-Sat), 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). £25, £15 concs. The Playground Theatre, W10 6RQ. 020 8960 0110. www.theplaygroundtheatre.london

In conversation: Ariella Eshed

Tik-sho-ret's artistic director Ariella Eshed discusses her haunting show Under the Skin

©Lidia Crisafulli

As Tik-sho-ret Theatre Company prepare to bring their haunting production of Israeli playwright Yonatan Calderon's Under the Skin to Brighton, Judi Herman speaks to the company's artistic director Ariella Eshed. Discover the few known facts about concentration camp guard Annelise Kohlmann as the story of a love affair between her and a young female prisoner unfolds, before revealing the aftermath in 1991 Tel Aviv under threat during the Gulf War. Read about the show in more detail in our review of Under the Skin.

Under the Skin runs Wednesday 16 & Thursday 17 May in Sussex as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival. 7pm. £10, £8.50 concs. The Warren: Theatre Box, Brighton, BN1 4GU. www.brightonfringe.org

In conversation: Hannah Moscovitch

Canadian writer Hannah Moscovitch discusses her award-winning show Old Stock and more

In a life-affirming show woven from the true story of her great-grandparents, Canadian writer Hannah Moscovitch uses klezmer and drama to tell the tale of two refugees arriving in Nova Scotia in 1908, having fled the pogroms in Romania. Here Moscovitch reveals more about Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, a double award-winning show (on the Edinburgh Fringe 2017) with real contemporary resonance and relevance from Canada’s 2b Theatre Company. Photo by Stoo Metz Photography

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story runs Thursday 17 – Saturday 19 May in Bristol as part of Mayfest. 7.30pm (Thu-Sat), 2.30pm (Sat only). £5-£21. Bristol Old Vic, BS1 4ED. https://bristololdvic.org.uk

In conversation: Katharina Reinthaller

Director Katharina Reinthaller discusses Bertolt Brecht’s The Jewish Wife

Ahead of this year’s Yom Hasho’ah event at JW3, which features a performance of Bertolt Brecht’s chilling one-act play The Jewish Wife, JR’s arts editor Judi Herman spoke to director Katharina Reinthaller (all the way from Melbourne, no less) about the vision for the performance she shares with JW3’s community programmer Eva Burke. The event will also include new translations of Brecht’s poetry, all performed by actor/singers Susanne Fiore and Peter Halpern, accompanied by pianist Ilan Lazarus. The evening culminates in a short ceremony led by Rabbi Roni Tabick and singer Aaron Isaac.

Bertolt Brecht’s The Jewish Wife runs Wednesday 11 April. 7.30pm. £8. JW3, NW3 6ET. 020 7433 8988. www.jw3.org.uk