The Retreat
by Jason Sherman
by Jason Sherman
Rachel, a Hebrew school teacher aspiring to be a screenwriter, finds her life and ambitions intertwined with two independent film producers as they navigate the complexities of creativity, integrity, and the film industry.
About The Play
About The Play
★★★★★ Five Stars, LondonTheatre1
★★★★★ Five Stars, London Theatre Reviews
★★★★1/2 Four and a Half Stars, Breaking The Fourth Wall
★★★★ Four Stars, All That Dazzles
★★★★ Four Stars, Paul in London
★★★★ Four Stars, London Pub Theatres
★★★★ Four Stars, North West End
★★★★ Four Stars, A Young(ish) Perspective
★★★★ Four Stars, Jewish Renaissance
Highly Recommended, Fringe Review
Rachel, a 30-something Hebrew school teacher, is aching to be a screenwriter. And it doesn’t help that she’s in hot water with her bosses for criticising Israel’s actions on the West Bank in front of her pupils.
David and Jeff are two independent film producers in need of a good script. While Jeff is pragmatic about the schlock they put out, David yearns for artistic substance. He thinks he may have found it in Rachel’s ambitious but unwieldy script about a false messiah – but he soon finds himself enthralled by more than Rachel’s writing.
Inspired but reeling, Rachel is intoxicated by the possibilities of a new career and a new life, but fears that she may be compromising her integrity. Meanwhile, Jeff aims to bring everyone down to earth with the cynical realities of the film industry.
As David and Rachel’s professional and personal lives entwine, they undertake a life-changing journey into the meaning of power, and the meaning of unyielding loyalty.
A fast-paced acerbic take on art, craft, money and passion.
The multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre, well known for producing more Canadian plays than any other theatre in Europe, rediscovers again the work of Jason Sherman – who received his UK debut at the Finborough Theatre in 2005 with a critically acclaimed sell-out production of Patience – with a long-overdue European premiere of his 1996 play, originally seen at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre.
On Thursday, 4 May, the Finborough Theatre will host a post show Q&A where cast members Michael Feldsher, Max Rinehart, Jonathan Tafler and Jill Winternitz will answer audience questions about The Retreat.
There is no performance on Sunday 30 April 2023 and on Saturday 6 May.
COVID SAFE
As one of the most intimate theatre venues in London, we are taking every possible precaution to ensure the safety of performers, staff, and audience members during the current pandemic.
Audience members may be temperature-checked upon their arrival at the theatre, and masks are strongly recommended at all times, including during the performance.
In order to ensure that the Finborough Theatre is still accessible for those who are CEV (Clinically Extremely Vulnerable) or those who would just prefer it, mask wearing is mandatory for all Sunday matinee performances.
We have reduced our audience capacity to 85% and adjusted our ticket prices to reflect this. We have been reviewing these protocols every month and will lift them as soon as it is safe to do so. For full information, please see our website.