Play About Muslim Man Who Discovers His Parents Are Jewish Seeking Funds
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Movie poster of 2010's The Infidel. Photo: IMDb.
Jewish comedian and writer David Baddiel is seeking public support to help produce a musical based on his film about a British Muslim man who discovers his parents are Jewish.
London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East is in development to premiere The Infidel in October, London’s Evening Standard reported on Wednesday. However, the theater needs another £55,000 on top of around £200,000 already raised in order to produce the show.
Baddiel, 49, retained the stage rights to the story when he wrote the 2010 film, which starred British-Iranian comedian Omid Djalili.
Music for The Infidel is written by Erran Baron Cohen, the brother of renowned comic Sacha Baron Cohen. Working with Baron Cohen, whose previous work includes music for Bruno and Borat, convinced Baddiel that The Infidel would work well as a musical, he said.
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“As a film [it] was always popular with what you would call a multi-cultural audience. It was popular with Jews, it was the No. 1 film in Bradford at one point,” he said. “I think almost any ethnic minority can be interested in the question of ethnic identity. Though I worry whether the Jewish audience will schlep from Golders Green.”
A Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for The Infidel runs until April 15.
