In conversation: Rebecca Taichman

“It was like two Trekkies finding each other. Paula was equally obsessed with God of Vengeance”

Rebecca Taichman 0 © Jacqueline Harriet.jpeg

Rebecca Taichman won the Tony Award for best director for her production of Paula Vogel’s hit play Indecent, charting the controversy surrounding Yiddish playwright Sholem Asch’s 1906 drama God of Vengeance, a story of exploitation set in a brothel that also celebrates the passionate love between two women. It caused a furore when the English translation opened on Broadway in 1923 and the company were tried for obscenity. Happily, Indecent became one of the hottest tickets in theatre and Rebecca has been in London directing the UK premiere, now selling out at the Menier Chocolate Factory, where it opened to rave reviews. Before she returned to New York, Taichman spoke to JR’s Judi Herman about her fruitful, five-year collaboration with Vogel and their shared passion for telling “the true story of a little Jewish play”.

Indecent runs until Saturday 27 November. 8pm (Tue-Sat), 3.30pm (Sat & Sun only). £37.50-£47.50. Menier Chocolate Factory, SE1 1RU. menierchocolatefactory.com

Read our five-star review of Indecent on the JR blog.