A London theatre has banned Belfast comedian Paul Currie after Jewish audience members claimed they were “subjected to verbal abuse” and made to feel “unsafe”.
The Soho Theatre said Mr Currie would not be invited back to perform at the West End theatre following an incident on Saturday evening which allegedly saw the comedian “aggressively demand” Jewish members of the audience leave the venue.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said it had been told by a Jewish audience member that Currie led his audience in “discriminatory chanting” and demanded to know why one Israeli attendee did not stand and applaud when a Ukrainian and Palestinian flag were unveiled.
In a statement, Soho Theatre said: “Such appalling actions are unacceptable and have no place on our stages, now or ever.
“We will not be inviting Paul Currie back to perform at our venue.”
The incident occurred at the end of Currie’s hour-long show Shtoom, a performance described on the theatre’s website as a “unique, surrealist, Dada punk-clown, non-verbal experience” in which the Belfast comedian does not speak.
Jewish audience members were then reportedly “hounded out” of the gig, which had an audience of about 200, according to the CAA – with others in the audience allegedly shouting “get out” and “free Palestine”.
According to one man, later identified as a 33-year-old software engineer who moved from Israel to London five years ago, and a number of people who were sitting directly behind him, Mr Currie questioned why he did not stand and whether he did not like the show.
The man replied he did up until the point the Palestinian flag was produced.
“Then he just turns back to me and starts screaming, ‘I’m from Belfast. I know everything about ceasefires’,” the man told MailOnline.
“Ceasefire now, get the f*** out of my theatre. Get out, get the f*** out of my show, motherf***ers,” Mr Currie is alleged to have added.
Many in the audience began shouting “ceasefire now” and “free Palestine” as the man and his partner, along with four others, also later identified as Jewish, left the theatre.
The theatre said: “Whilst we robustly support the rights of artists to express a wide range of views in their shows, intimidation of audience members, acts of antisemitism or any other forms of racism will not be tolerated.”
While the incident led to the condemnation of the Newtownabbey comedian, puppeteer, circus performer and artist, others in the audience related a different experience to the leading website for the comedy industry, chortle.co.uk
Aoibhinn Treanor told the website it was “disproportionate and irrational” to complain about the flag “when there can be no doubt of the horrendous suffering” of the Palestinian population.
She described the audience, most of them “on-message with the performer”, as expressing love for peace and not anti-semitism.
Another audience member, named as Jo, said Mr Currie was “angered” by the rejection of the Palestinian flag.
She added: “’He then started chanting ‘ceasefire now’ and much of the audience joined in. He then gave a passionate speech in which he condemned the actions of Hamas, but also those of Israel.
“He made a comparison with his hometown, Belfast. He said if the British Government had had a similar reaction to the IRA, as Israel had to Hamas, he would not be here.”
The theatre, which is a registered charity and used to be a synagogue, added that it was consulting with the Metropolitan Police and working with the CAA to “safeguard the much-valued inclusivity” of the venue.
A Met Police spokesperson said on Monday: “We are aware of the incident that took place at the Soho Theatre on Saturday evening.”
“A report was submitted to the police on Monday and enquiries are ongoing,” they added.
The Charity Commission has said it is assessing information “to determine if there is a role” for the regulator.
Mr Currie has been contacted for comment.