Search

Saved articles

You have not yet added any article to your bookmarks!

Browse articles

GDPR Compliance

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

Kaddish (How to be a Sanctuary) honoured with coveted Bobby Award

12 Aug 2025

Kaddish (How to be a Sanctuary), written and performed by Sam Sherman and directed by Lila Weitzner, has been awarded the prestigious Bobby Award from Broadway Baby – one of the rarest accolades at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, reserved for the very best productions seen each year.

Debut collaboration recognised as one of the very best at this year’s Fringe

The award follows Broadway Baby’s five-star review praising the work’s profound writing, imaginative staging, and precision in performance. Editor-in-Chief Richard Beck said, “It ticked every box – directing, writing, and performance – all combined into a sublime message. Sensitively directed, beautifully written, well-staged, and superbly performed, it handles issues from the Middle East while embedding them in the wider context of Judaism over the last 100 years.”

While dealing with weighty themes, Kaddish weaves in humour and warmth, echoing the wisdom, wit, and defiance of Saul’s voice. Beck’s review noted that Sherman knows “exactly when to bail out of the depths of despondency and lighten the tone” and praised the production’s ability to “invite us to listen to the moral inheritance of our ancestors” while remaining theatrically engaging.

This marks the first collaboration for Sherman and Weitzner under their company Self Friend Productions, though their creative relationship stretches back to childhood. Their long-standing friendship and shared commitment to politically engaged theatre underpin the production’s blend of intimate storytelling and urgent political discourse.

Launched in 2011, the Bobby Award recognises shows that stand out even among Broadway Baby’s five-star selections. With thousands of performances across the Fringe, only a handful of productions receive the honour each year, making it one of the festival’s most selective distinctions.

Sherman and Weitzner join a small group of Fringe artists whose work has been judged by Broadway Baby’s panel to be truly exceptional – not just in execution, but in leaving a lasting impression on audiences and critics alike.

Related to this article: