Not Quite Jerusalem

We very much regret that due to a double Covid-19 infection during rehearsals for Not Quite Jerusalem, we have had no option but to make the painful decision to postpone the production which was due to have run at the Finborough Theatre for a two week limited season from Tuesday, 14 September – Saturday, 25 September 2021. We wish both the company members a swift and complete recovery.

This production was originally commissioned by the Finborough Theatre to celebrate its 40th anniversary as the play was written in 1980, the year the Finborough Theatre opened, and played to sold out audiences and gained eleven four star reviews during its run in March 2020 which was cut short by the national lockdown.

We will be announcing new dates for the production in the next few weeks, and all ticketholders will of course be fully refunded.

The Finborough Theatre will now reopen with the previously announced European premiere of Jordan Hall’s hit play How To Survive an Apocalypse, starring Kristin Atherton, Christine Gomes, Ben Lamb and Noel Sullivan, playing Tuesday, 28 September – Saturday, 23 October 2021. Previews for How To Survive an Apocalypse are already completely sold out, and early booking is strongly recommended.

For the safety of audiences, performers, and staff, we have put in place a number of measures as part of our Covid-safe procedures plan, and we thank you in advance for your cooperation. Please find our current measures outlined here.

★★★★ Four Stars, The Reviews Hub
★★★★ Four Stars, The Londonist
★★★★ Four Stars, Reviewsgate
★★★★ Four Stars, Broadway World
★★★★ Four Stars, London Living Large
★★★★ Four Stars, British Theatre.com
★★★★ Four Stars, Jewish Renaissance
★★★★ Four Stars, Paul in London
★★★★ Four Stars, Plays To See
★★★★ Four Stars, UK Theatre Web
★★★★ Four Stars, London Pub Theatres

OffWestEnd Award Nomination for Lead Performance in a Play – Ailsa Joy

It’s 1979, and Mike, Carrie, Pete and Dave have fled grim, divided England for the sunshine, sex, beer and bagels of a Israeli kibbutz. Only to find that what was supposed to be a working holiday is more like hard labour in 100-degree temperatures.

Pete and Dave soon alienate themselves with their foul-mouthed, high-spirited behaviour. Carrie desperately tries to fit in, but cannot relate to either her fellow-countrymen or the Israelis. Only Cambridge drop-out Mike seems able to articulate what it means to be young, conflicted, English, and a very long way from home. Until, that is, he meets no-nonsense kibbutznik Gila…

First presented at the Royal Court Theatre in 1980 where it broke box office records and revived there in 1982 (with casts including David Threlfall, Phil Davis, Kevin McNally, Selina Cadell and Bruce Alexander), Not Quite Jerusalem won first-time playwright Paul Kember the Evening Standard Most Promising Playwright Award.

This production contains strong language.

As an intimate theatre venue, we are taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of performers, staff, and audience members during the current pandemic. We have reduced our audience capacity to 80% and temporarily increased our ticket prices to reflect this. Due to the size of our auditorium, we will ask audiences to wear a face covering throughout their visit including during the performance. We will also be asking audience members to provide the following evidence on arrival at the venue of either double vaccination, negative test results, or a recent infection. We will be reviewing these protocols every month and will lift them as soon as it is safe to do so. For full information, please see our Covid-19 Policy page.