Victory?

Rick Friend’s controversial musical, Victory? deals with the Arab-Israeli conflict. Friend directed Victory? as a workshop charity performance, at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre in 2004, with actors Juliette Caton, (leading actress in the Cameron Mackintosh musical Martin Guerre and Martin Scorsese’s film The Last Temptation of Christ), Raza Jaffrey (leading actor of Bombay Dreams and BBC’s Spooks and Mistresses) and Bertie Carvel (leading actor in the Donmar’s Parade). The Musical Director was Andy Smith of We Will Rock You and The Lion King.

Victory? was produced by Production Friend, with producer Daniella Gonella of DG Productions.

Synopsis

When English dancer Gina travels to the United Arab Emirates, she meets Ahmed, a disenfranchised Palestinian exile. Six months later, her work takes her to Israel where she meets Uri, an Israeli writer. Gina finds that she is not only caught in the middle of a complex love triangle, but also an enormous political divide where her allegiances are tested to the limit.

Background

Victory? was conceived in October 2003. The book was written around research material and songs that Rick Friend had composed - a couple with musicians Denise Marsa and Robert Bond. He then wrote new songs and the book, with additional material devised by the cast in rehearsal. David Watts, who has worked at the RSC and for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber in the West End, was brought in to do the vocal score arrangemnts. 12 weeks after its conception, Victory? was performed at the Donmar Warehouse.

The action takes place in Abu Dhabi, Jerusalem and Ramallah on the West Bank, between 2001 and 2002.

In the 1980’s Rick Friend, who is himself Jewish, performed for three months, as a young singer, for Palestinians in The United Arab Emirates..

Victory? - World Premiere

First Performance - Donmar Warehouse Theatre, London

4th January 2004

"...the show is very effective, and ultimately surprisingly moving…

Juliette Caton, Raza Jaffrey and Bertie Carvel negotiate some good songs...”  Jewish Chronicle

Cast

Gina - Juliette Caton

Ahmed - Raza Jaffrey

Uri - Bertie Carvel

Credits

Writer/Director/Composer - Rick Friend

Producer - Daniella Gonella

Co-Producer - Rick Friend

Musical Director - Andy Smith

Assistant Musical Director - Elliott Ware

Vocal Score Arrangements - David Watts

Management

(For Donmar Warehouse) - Collette McEntree, Ruth Close

Lighting - Stuart Craine (Donmar Warehouse)

Master Carpenter & Props - PJ (Donmar Warehouse)

Stage Manager - Julia Slienger

Assistant Stage Manager - Sharon Sooker

Sound Engineer - Chris Braclik

Wardrobe - Sarah Sharp

Band

Piano - Andy Smith

Keyboards and Flute - Elliott Ware

Guitar- Hugh Davies

Bass - Trevor Barry

Drums - Gareth Roberts

Backing Vocalists - Bekki Chana, Jodie Jacobs, Jai Ramage

Songs

1. 1.Victory - Ensemble
   

2. 2.Waiting - Ahmed
   

3. 3.Dance With Me - Gina
   

4. 4.Save Your Heart For Me - Ahmed
   

5. 5.We’re Laughing Anyway - Uri
   

6. 6.Love In The Roses - Uri
   

7. 7.Another World - Ahmed
   

8. 8.Where Are The Blue Skies? - Gina
   

9. 9.Every Day Of Our Lives - Gina
   

10. 10.Men In A Dream - Ensemble
    

11. 11.Dancing In My Heart - Ahmed
    

12. 12.A Fine Line - Uri
    

13. 13.Where Are The Blue Skies? (Reprise) - Gina
    

14. 14.Dance With Me - Ahmed
    

15. 15.The Hatred Of Brothers - Ahmed & Uri
    

16. 16.Victory (Reprise) - Gina & Ensemble
    

All songs written by Rick Friend except:

Victory & A Fine Line - written by Rick Friend & Denise Marsa*

Men In A Dream - written by Rick Friend & Robert Bond

*Marsa Music - www.denisemarsa.com

Charity Performance

All profits form the first public performance at the Donmar Warehouse were dedicated to 2 charities which deal with reconciliation between Jews and Arabs: Seeds of Peace and The British Friends of Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam - Oasis of Peace.

Seeds of Peace - since 1993 has graduated over 3,500 teenagers representing 25 nations from its internationally recognized conflict resolution and co-existence program. Seeds of Peace works to foster negotiation skills so that the future leaders of participating nations have the tools to make their own peace.  Seeds of Peace has received international support from governments and leaders alike, receiving the UNESCO Prize for Peace in 2001. For further information:NY office - 212-573-8040 or visit the website:

www.seedsofpeace.org

Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam - is the only place in Israel where Jewish and Arab families, all citizens of Israel, have chosen to live together, committed to working through problems and differences. On site there is a bi-lingual Kindergarten and Primary School for over 300 children. The out-reach educational body of the village is represented by The School for Peace providing conflict resolution programmes for Jewish and Arab youth.

For further information please call 020 8952 4717 or visit the website: http://nswas.com

Acknowledgements

Alex Aaronson, Tracey Butler, Donmar Warehouse Box Office & all the staff, Alix Friend, Gap, Joanne Homer & Steve Marsden at Yamaha, Akpesiri Iyovwaye, Landmark Education, Lord Levy, Julia & Doug de Peyer-Evans, The Phoenix School, Craig Purnell, Mandy Swanne at Spotlight Casting, Paul Wiles.