The Pianist of Willesden Lane will extend its second run at the St. James Theatre until Saturday 22 October 2016. Six performances have been added to the run, originally scheduled to end on Sunday 16 October, as the demand for tickets has dramatically exceeded expectation. The production first played a critically acclaimed, sold out run at the St. James Theatre in January and February 2016.
A gala performance will take place on Tuesday 13 September, in aid of World Jewish Relief, a charity closely linked to The Pianist of Willesden Lane. The Central British Fund for German Jewry (CBF) – the precursor to World Jewish Relief – were fundamental in the funding and organisation of the Kindertransport, helping thousands of Jewish children to come to Britain during WW2, escaping Nazi persecution in their home countries. The Pianist of Willesden Lane is based on the true story of one of those children, Lisa Jura.
In February this year, The Pianist of Willesden Lane’s performer Mona Golabek was able to find out more information about her mother’s experience by finding Lisa Jura’s personal case file through World Jewish Relief’s archives, which contain 35,000 individual case files.
The gala night will raise money for World Jewish Relief’s Refugee Crisis Appeal, which is helping in Greece and Turkey by providing immediate humanitarian support such as winter clothing, emergency medical support and psycho-social support for people who have fled war-torn countries including Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. 50% of ticket takings as well as money raised from bucket collections and other fundraising initiatives will be donated to World Jewish Relief.
Dates: 07 September – 22 October 2016
Gala night: Tuesday 13 September at 7pm
Gala night tickets: £45 with £22.50 going to World Jewish Relief
