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University of Southampton Research Repository University of Southampton Research Repository Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis and, where applicable, any accompanying data are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis and the accompanying data cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content of the thesis and accompanying research data (where applicable) must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holder/s. When referring to this thesis and any accompanying data, full bibliographic details must be given, e.g. Thesis: Author (Year of Submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University Faculty or School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination. Data: Author (Year) Title. URI [dataset] University of Southampton Faculty of Arts and Humanities School of Humanities East End Jewish Involvement in Unity Theatre and Post-War British Entertainment: A Study of Second Generation Identity by Isabelle Seddon MRes Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy October 2018 University of Southampton Abstract Faculty of Arts and Humanities School of Humanities Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy East End Jewish Involvement in Unity Theatre and Post-War British Entertainment: A Study of Second Generation Identity by Isabelle Seddon This thesis is the first study of second generation Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who took part in left-wing political theatre groups in the first half of the twentieth century. Much activity was centred in London’s East End and this thesis will explore how seeds were sown there. Although there has been research on Jewish participation in traditional theatre, little has been done on Jewish involvement in ground breaking theatre. A background will be given on Jewish history in the East End, Yiddish theatre and Jewish interest in East End theatres and music halls. This, together with Jewish involvement in left-wing politics, will explain the attraction to join Unity. Unity provided an entrance for Jewish actors into the entertainment industry, including Lionel Bart, Alfie Bass, David Kossoff and Warren Mitchell, who will form the heart of this thesis. They became famous for their ‘Cockney’ persona without denying their Jewishness. They have been chosen to show their different pathways out of the East End and Unity. Their biographies will not stand alone but looked at as a collective biography. The study will consider their families’ background to see if this impacted their Jewish identity and political involvement, and how they defined themselves in order to be portrayed as Cockneys. On the surface, in spite of their common background and time at Unity, they had little in common. Their political affiliations ranged from radical to non-involvement and there were differences in the portrayal of their masculinity. Yet they were unified by identifying themselves and being identified as Jewish Cockneys by both Jews and non- Jews. The thesis will look at changes that occurred during the interwar period resulting in their confidence to be able to identify as Jewish Cockneys in the post-war era, and to be accepted as such in non-Jewish society. Contents Research Thesis: Declaration of Authorship ..................................................................... v Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. vii Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 1. Contexts ...................................................................................................................... 1 (i) The Second Generation ...................................................................................... 2 (ii) Background to Theatre in the First Half of the Twentieth Century ................... 5 (iii) West End Theatre ............................................................................................... 6 (iv) East End Theatres and Music Halls .................................................................... 8 (v) Yiddish Theatre in the East End ....................................................................... 11 (vi) Political Theatre ............................................................................................... 14 (vii) Unity Theatre .................................................................................................... 20 (viii) The Jewish Cockney ......................................................................................... 24 (ix) The East End After the Second World War ..................................................... 38 (x) Methodology .................................................................................................... 41 2. Themes, Theory and Structure ................................................................................. 43 (i) Biography/Collective Biography ...................................................................... 43 (ii) Performance ..................................................................................................... 45 (iii) Masculinity ....................................................................................................... 47 (iv) Summary and Structure .................................................................................... 51 Chapter 1: Alfie Bass ......................................................................................................... 53 (i) Background ...................................................................................................... 53 (ii) Politics .............................................................................................................. 57 (iii) Unity Theatre .................................................................................................... 61 (iv) Career ............................................................................................................... 65 (v) Roles ................................................................................................................. 66 (vi) Performance: Mannerisms and Masculinity ..................................................... 71 (vii) Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 74 Chapter 2: David Kossoff .................................................................................................. 77 (i) Background ...................................................................................................... 77 (ii) Unity Theatre .................................................................................................... 80 iii (iii) Career ............................................................................................................... 83 (iv) The Bespoke Overcoat ..................................................................................... 87 (v) The Larkins ...................................................................................................... 91 (vi) Performance: Mannerisms and Masculinity .................................................... 93 (vii) Storyteller ......................................................................................................... 98 (viii) Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 101 Chapter 3: Warren Mitchell ........................................................................................... 105 (i) Background .................................................................................................... 105 (ii) Politics and Unity Theatre ............................................................................. 109 (iii) Early Career ................................................................................................... 111 (iv) Till Death Us Do Part .................................................................................... 113 (v) Theatre roles .................................................................................................. 121 (vi) Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 127 Chapter 4: Lionel Bart .................................................................................................... 131 (i) Background .................................................................................................... 131 (ii) Politics and Unity Theatre ............................................................................. 138 (iii) Career ............................................................................................................. 143 (iv) Oliver! ............................................................................................................ 146 (v) East End Identification ................................................................................... 152 (vi) Lifestyle ......................................................................................................... 157 (vii) Masculinity .................................................................................................... 159 (viii) Downfall .......................................................................................................
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