Comedian Paul Currie is under scrutiny and may face legal repercussions following allegations of inciting anti-semitic behavior during his recent comedy show, “Shtoom” at London’s Soho Theatre.
Allegations and Incident Details
During his performance of “Shtoom” at Soho Theatre on February 10, 2024, Currie allegedly orchestrated chants targeting an Israeli audience member. The situation reportedly escalated when Currie displayed a Palestinian flag, leading to confrontations with attendees.
Nearing the end of his show, Currie pulled out two flags, one a Ukrainian flag and the other a Palestinian flag. The comedian then reportedly urged the attendants to stand up, and then after sitting back down he then turned to one young man in the second row and said,
You didn’t stand, why? Didn’t you enjoy my show?
To which the man replied with,
I enjoyed your show until you brought out the Palestinian flag
After Currie supposedly singled out the Israeli man who remained seated after his show. The comedian then retorted with,
“Get out of my show…Leave my f-ing show, Now!… Get out now, I’m from Northern Island, we know all about cease fire, get the f- out of my show”
The man, his partner, and two other people got up to leave as they reportedly felt unsafe and threatened – by their accounts, when they exited they felt as though the entire audience were on their feet chanting “Free Palestine” and “Get out!” all while giving them angry glares.
The complainants then claimed that they received a message from someone in the same show that said the situation got even more intense when they left the building. They did ask for support from the front-of-house team of Soho and received an e-mail address to file a complaint.
Response from Campaign Against Antisemitism
The Campaign Against Antisemitism is collaborating with the complainants and exploring legal avenues. A spokesperson condemned the alleged behavior, emphasizing that such actions have no place in London and must be addressed with seriousness.
These allegations are of deeply disturbing discriminatory abuse against Jews. Comedians are rightly given broad latitude, but hounding Jews out of theatres is reminiscent of humanity’s darkest days.
Soho Theatre’s Reaction
Soho Theatre expressed regret over the incident and affirmed its commitment to investigating the matter thoroughly. They emphasized the importance of maintaining an inclusive and welcoming environment for all patrons.
‘We take this very seriously and are looking into the detail of what happened as thoroughly, as sensitively, and as quickly as we can. It is important to us that Soho Theatre is a welcoming and inclusive place for all.’
Paul Currie’s Response
Despite attempts to reach out for comment, Paul Currie has not responded. However, his recent social media activity, including posts about pro-Palestinian sentiments and reports on Gaza casualties, suggests his stance on related issues.
Currie did however post a quote on his Instagram that said,
Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable… If you were at my show last night… you’ll know.
Call for Accountability
Jewish comedian Josh Howie, first reached out to Paul Currie through a post on X with,
Hi @PeeVeeSee, word on the Jewvine is you kicked a bunch of Jews out of your @sohotheatre show whilst the rest of the audience were screaming “Free Palestine” and “Get out” at them?! Would love to hear your side of the story.
— Josh Howie (@joshxhowie) February 11, 2024
Then after speaking to one of the complainants, Howie voiced support for those affected by the incident, highlighting the need to confront and address such instances of discrimination.
His post said,
So @PeeVeeSee I just spoke to one of the Jews you and your audience abused out of your show Saturday and about the @sohotheatre manager’s woeful response. This man was dignified, shaken, but defiant. JEWS WILL NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE OSTRACISED FROM PUBLIC SPACES.
— Josh Howie (@joshxhowie) February 12, 2024
The complainants are seeking guidance on reporting the incident to appropriate authorities, Soho theatre itself and even, including the UK Comedy Guild and have submitted their own report on Monday to law enforcement.
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