Leeds, UK
Festival rapture over this 'bad guy' capture...
Howard Williamson, Yorkshire Evening Post, 17th July 2007
A SHOWCASE of Jewish culture and talent has attracted its biggest name yet – celebrated screen villain Steven Berkoff.
He will appear on Sunday, September 2, on the opening night of the 7th Leeds Jewish International Performing Arts Festival.
The event runs for five days at its new venue, the Carriageworks Theatre in Millennium Square.
"We think it is quite a scoop to get Steven Berkoff," said festival director Ellie Ruhan.
"He will be talking about his life in film and theatre. "He is also using the occasion to launch his new book, My Life in Food, and we are honoured he has chosen to do it at our festival.
"The audience will be able to chat to him afterwards when he is signing his book."
The actor-director will go on stage in the main auditorium at 9pm and talk for 75 minutes. Ticket prices have been raised to £15 – for other performers they are £7 or £10.
Berkoff, 69, was born in the East End of London to a Russian Jewish family. He has made his mark with a series of villainous roles since graduating from drama school 50 years ago.
He was a gangster in The Krays; a Soviet officer in Rambo; General Orlov in the Bond film Octopussy and a gangster in TV's Hotel Babylon series. He played Adolf Hitler in the mini-series War and Remembrance.
The festival highlights diversity in the Jewish culture with Black/Jewish, Chinese, Uzbekistani, Latino and American influences.
It opens with one of the festival's most colourful and lively acts, the Akilov Family from Uzbekistan, who show off such music and dance styles as Iranian, Kavkazi, Hassidic, Gipsy, Indian, Moroccan and Flamenco.
The Limelight Drama Group from north Leeds will give two performances of The Irish Hebrew Lesson (September 5-6), a gripping play about a Jewish pedlar confronted by a gunman on the run from the Black and Tans.
Moortown singer Terri Shaltiel, who performs regularly at the Blues Bar in Harrogate, will sing Billie Holliday classics and her own soul and rhythm and blues compositions on September 6.