J-Wire: Acclaimed Australian production 'Yentl' heads to London
Michael Barnett OAM
Acclaimed Australian production ‘Yentl’ set for London premiere
Kadimah Yiddish Theatre’s acclaimed production Yentl will appear on a London stage next year, taking an Australian reworking of a classic Yiddish story to international audiences for the first time.
After successful seasons in Melbourne and Sydney, including a widely praised run at the Sydney Opera House, the production will play at the Marylebone Theatre from 6 March to 12 April 2026.
Amy Hack in the title role in ‘Yentl’ during the Australian production. (Photo by Jeff Busby)
The London season coincides with a landmark year for Kadimah Yiddish Theatre, which is marking 100 years since its founding in Melbourne’s Yiddish community. In recent seasons, the company has built a strong national profile, earning 26 award nominations across its past four productions and winning nine.
Based on Isaac Bashevis Singer’s story, Yentl is set in an 1870s Polish shtetl and centres on a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to study Jewish texts barred to her. Performed in both Yiddish and English, the adaptation explores faith, gender, desire and the cost of living honestly, themes that have resonated strongly with contemporary audiences. Many people are familiar with the story from the Barbra Streisand film, but this production bears little resemblance to that interpretation.
The production has been warmly received by Australian critics. The Age described it as “a remarkable bilingual play”, while Time Out called it “nothing short of magic”. During its Sydney Opera House season, Star Observer reported that audiences from across backgrounds rose together for a standing ovation.
Director Gary Abrahams said the move to London reflects the company’s steady growth rather than a one-off leap.
“Yentl embodies so much of what Kadimah Yiddish Theatre stands for: cultural depth, artistic risk and a fierce commitment to Yiddish language and identity,” Abrahams said. “This season highlights what the company is capable of and what we want to keep building.”
Artistic director Evelyn Krape, who also performs in the production, said the significance of the London run is deeply felt by those involved.
“For a company born from Melbourne’s Yiddish community 100 years ago, to now share our work in London is momentous,” she said. “To bring our story, our language and our artistry to a global audience feels deeply personal.”
Kadimah chair Lin Bender said the production’s focus on a female voice remains central to its impact.
“Our Yentl tells a universal story through Jewish experience, with intellectual courage and spiritual independence at its heart,” Bender said. “That message continues to resonate across generations.”
The London cast will reprise their Sydney roles, with Amy Hack as Yentl, Genevieve Kingsford as Hodes and Evelyn Krape as The Figure. The creative team includes co-writers Gary Abrahams, Galit Klas and Elise Esther Hearst, with design by Dann Barber, lighting by Rachel Burke, sound and composition by Max Lyandvert, and Yiddish translation by Professor Rivke Margolis.
For more information and bookings: https://www.marylebonetheatre.com/productions/yentl
Tags: kadimah, London theatre, sydney opera house, theatre, Yentl