JW3 Arts and Culture 2025 Opens with Live Sculpture Event – premieres, comedy, showcases, plays, music
JW3’s 2025 Arts and Culture programme opens with a LIVE sculpting session as internationally renowned sculptor Frances Segelman, works fast and naturally to create a sculpture of Holocaust survivor Harry Omer MBE as the audience watches on, enjoying their insights and conversations on Monday 13 January. A unique opportunity to see Frances in action. Her high-profile work includes busts of many of The Royal Family to personalities from the world of entertainment, politics and sport. Meet Harry, whose life after liberation in 1945, brought him to England as one of the Windermere Boys. Arriving with nothing, Harry built a successful life and career, studying dentistry at Glasgow University, marrying, having four children and eight grandchildren and continues to live independently in London at the grand age of 98.
The premiere of the animated film, Survivor, by debut filmmaker and award-winning cartoonist Zoom Rockman on Tuesday 28 January, as part of JW3’s Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 commemorations. In a world scarred by genocide, this unique 40-minute animated film sees 12-year-old Ivor Perl witnessing the unspeakable horrors as he enters the gates of Auschwitz. There will be a post screening Q&A and live music from the film’s composer Erran Baron Cohen.
A full day of wonderful theatre in Hebrew, from the Hashaa Theatre, the leading Israeli theatre for children and youth, with four shows celebrating the Festival of Spoken Ivrit on Sunday 26 January. One of the highlights during the day will be the play Champion of Israel – The Powerful and Inspiring Story of Oren Smadja, the incredibly moving story of the Israeli Olympian Oren Smadja – who will be there for a post show Q&A.
A year after his death, JW3 is celebrating the extraordinary life and works of the vital Jewish voice of Bernard Kops on Sunday 16 February. The evening will include extracts from his fantastical and surreal poems and stage plays including his defining The Hamlet of Stepney Green, clips, songs and readings given by special guests including original cast members George Layton (The Hamlet of Stepney Green), Esta Charkham (Enter Solly Gold); and stories from family, Elliott Levey, playwrights who studied under Kops and wonderful renditions of his songs from Dreams of Ann Frank. Produced by Neil Marcus.
JW3 will celebrating the work of Oscar winning lyricist Don Black on Sunday 2 March. Songs including Born Free, Diamonds are Forever, and selections from his musicals Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard and Billy will be performed by West Enders Debbie Chazen, Jos Slovic, Jack Reitman and Brady Isaacs Pierce – with more surprise guests to be announced! Not to mention live on stage discussing their collaborations with Don will be playwright Christpoher Hampton who co-wrote the book and lyrics for Sunset Boulevard and composer Debbie Wiseman with whom Don is currently writing the musical Feather Boy.
JW3 is fast building a reputation for staging new works with professional casts, choirs, directors and musicians, to enable shows to develop fully in front of a live audience – giving the JW3 audiences the unique opportunity to be part of the development process, with early access to new productions. In 2025 highlights includes the showcase of the brand-new epic Forging The Pledge by Joe Harmston with music by Robert Singer and arranged by David Osmond (The Osmonds 2nd Generation) on Thursday 30 January. The true story of Hitler’s 1934 visit to a Bavarian Passion Play; the Nazi blacksmith who played Jesus and the story of the only Jew in the village, Max Peter Meyer…. On Wednesday 19 March is a special concert performance of Rise a modern rock musical about a group of Jewish women resistance fighters during the Holocaust as they wage an uprising against the Nazi regime. Followed by a discussion with the writer/composer Joshua Daniel Hershfield.
An evening Celebrating Everyday Jewishness with Dr Keith Kahn-Harris on Tuesday 11 March, with music and laughter, to celebrate the launch of his latest book Everyday Jews – ticket price includes a copy of the book!
Sabra Swing on Thursday 3 April explores the world of Jews in Jazz. The band line up is violin Miriam Kramer, singer Sara Feldmann Brummer, pianist Nicholas Durcan, bassist Steve Rossell and drummer Hamish Birchall, who create a soulful and virtuosic evening of music from the Great American Songbook and the silver screen including Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Carole King.
The Classical Music Series, of stellar performances by international artists continues into 2025, with a cornucopia of immortal music in three further concerts, as JW3 continues to make its mark as the new home to world class classical music concerts.
2025 sees the return of JW3’s monthly live Comedy Club nights with top-notch stand-up performances from the funniest Jewish and Jew-ish comedians starting on Wednesday 29 January.
JW3 is the dynamic, cross-communal hub, open to all – the home of Jewish Arts and Culture in London NW3.
