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Could this be the most Jewish musical that never admits its own Jewishness?

JL;DR SUMMARY Lionel Bart's musical "Oliver!", often considered quintessentially Victorian, is imbued with elements reflecting its Jewish origins, despite not overtly acknowledging this heritage. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish CultureCultural IdentityYiddish TheaterMusical InfluencesMusical TheaterFaginSimon LipkinWest EndOliver!Lionel Bart

Places mentioned

London, England, United Kingdom
"Simon Lipkin plays Fagin in the West End revival of Oliver! Photo by Johan Persson"
New York, United States
"In New York, she fashioned a new family out of survivors, actors from the Yiddish theater, and intellectuals whose humor carried both bruises and brilliance."

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Cairo Item ID 73966
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Retrieved 2026-01-31 05:30:57 UTC
Curated 2026-01-31 08:31:02 UTC