From The Jewish Chronicle by Simon Round, 22 Jan 2009.
Berkoff talks about Waterfront: “How could I resist? It’s a phenomenal piece. But I didn’t want to put Schulberg’s changes in. When he re-wrote the script as a stage play, he changed the ending. He thought that the realistic thing would be that Terry, like his brother, would be murdered. The director [of the film], Elia Kazan, didn’t like this. He wanted Terry to rise, almost Christ-like.
“That is why we love this film. We don’t leave the cinema crying — we go out thinking: ‘Thank God’. In the Jewish world, for some reason, all our heroes usually end up dead, from Samson onwards.”
Berkoff was insistent that his adaptation should have the ending of the original film. “I told Schulberg I didn’t like changes. I thought I could say it to him — after all, he’s 93 now. I said there was no way we could do it his way because the ending has been enshrined. You can’t change the myth. Nobody will accept it. They will riot.”
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There were some big casting calls to be made, not least of which is Berkoff’s decision to act in the play as well as to direct. “The producers kept saying they wanted a face — a name. I’ve been around a number of years…” He is insistent, however, that Simon Merrells, who plays the Brando role, is very much the star of the piece. “We have a collection of the most amazing actors I’ve ever worked with. Merrells was born to play Malloy..."
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Talking of London's East end: “There is another East End. I was in Brick Lane the other day and there was a terrific street trade, so much going on — an East End revival. Young people selling handicrafts, statues, painting, silks, scarves, clothes. There are a lot of creative people here. It’s phenomenal.”
However, he laments the passing of the Jewish East End and the spirit he used to know. Jews in this country, he feels, are not as proud of their identity as are their counterparts across the Atlantic.
“In England they feel too self-conscious about it. England is not a great lover of its Jews. Never has been. The English way of life is culturally rather refined if not effete. There is a slight distaste of the foreigner.”
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Does this British antisemitism manifest itself in the theatrical establishment? Berkoff ponders for a moment: “They quite like diversity and will tolerate you as long as you act a bit gentile and don’t throw your chicken soup around too much. You are perfectly entitled occasionally even to touch the great prophet of British culture, Shakespeare, as long as you keep your Jewishness well zipped up.”
He adopts an upper-class accent: “As long as you speak like us and get rid of your accent you are perfectly acceptable. In Spain, they used to call these people marranos — secret Jews.
“Well, I’ve never been secret.”