A landmark evening of Jewish music at Theatre Royal Plymouth
Wednesday 10 June 2026 | The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth | Cabaret-style seating
🎟️ Book tickets via Theatre Royal Plymouth
About the Event
We are thrilled to present Klezmer by the Sea - one of the most significant Jewish cultural events the South West has ever seen, and a landmark moment for Jewish life in Plymouth.
Taking place at the iconic Theatre Royal Plymouth, one of the UK's largest and most prestigious regional theatres, this is an evening of live klezmer music performed by three of the finest klezmer musicians in the country. The Drum will be transformed into an intimate, cabaret-style space - the perfect setting for a musical tradition that has always thrived in warmth, togetherness and shared experience.
Klezmer by the Sea is presented as part of the UK's inaugural Jewish Culture Month (16 May – 16 June 2026) - a nationwide celebration of Jewish contributions to music, food, literature, fashion, architecture, comedy and more, with over 100 events across the country.
The Music
Klezmer is a tradition that has travelled across continents and centuries, woven through the lives of Jewish and Eastern European communities across Europe and beyond. It is joyful and haunting in equal measure - music that carries history in every note, and that has always had an extraordinary power to bring people together regardless of background or faith.
On the night, The Klezmer Village Band will weave together toe-tapping melodies and haunting harmonies with evocative stories of musicians' lives and times - an experience that is as much storytelling as it is performance.
Meet the Musicians
Ilana Cravitz – Violin Ilana co-founded the London Klezmer Quartet and is the author of Klezmer Fiddle – A How-To Guide, published by Oxford University Press. She is one of the UK's leading voices in klezmer performance and education.
John Macnaughton – Clarinet John leads Klezmer Foygl and co-founded both Oysland and KlezMargate Festival - one of the most respected figures on the UK klezmer scene.
Theo Malka-Wishart – Double Bass A regular at London's legendary jazz venues including Ronnie Scott's and the 606, Theo performs internationally across klezmer and jazz and brings extraordinary depth to the trio.
Together, The Klezmer Village Band have performed to audiences around the world and have collectively clocked hundreds of hours as klezmer educators.
Education in Plymouth Schools
The day after the evening performance, the musicians will take klezmer into Plymouth schools, giving young people the chance to discover the history and cultural significance of this remarkable tradition, its roots in Jewish communities, and its continuing evolution today.
Why This Matters to Us
Plymouth's Jewish community is one of England's oldest, dating back to the 1740s - yet for too long, Jewish cultural life has been largely absent from the city's cultural calendar. Plymouth Jewish Community CIC was founded to change that.
Klezmer by the Sea follows the largest civic menorah lighting Plymouth has ever seen, which drew hundreds of people to Plymouth Civic Square this past Hanukkah. It represents the next chapter in our mission - to make Plymouth a genuine home for Jewish cultural life in the South West, and to open that culture up to everyone.
We warmly invite people of all faiths and backgrounds to join us. This evening is for the whole city.
Book Tickets
Tickets are available now through Theatre Royal Plymouth.
🎟️ Book here – Klezmer by the Sea | Theatre Royal Plymouth
About Jewish Culture Month
Jewish Culture Month runs from 16 May to 16 June 2026 and is a project of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. With over 100 events nationwide spanning music, food, comedy, art, architecture, fashion and more, it is the most ambitious celebration of Jewish cultural life in the UK ever staged. Find out more at jewishculturemonth.org.uk