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Theatre pays damages for halting Israeli soldiers' show
Mark Blunden22.07.09
Organisers of a variety show featuring Israeli soldiers have been awarded thousands of pounds in compensation after the venue cancelled the performance.
Five Israeli Defence Force soldiers, all 19, were due to play pop and folk songs at the Bloomsbury Theatre but became embroiled in a row after the theatre declared the show too "political".
University College London, which owns the venue, has apologised and agreed to compensate the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland, which organised the Israel 61 Family Show in April.
The soldiers' performance was part of an independence day show for the Jewish community celebrating Israel's 61st anniversary. But two weeks before the event, the Bloomsbury complained about posters showing the soldiers in uniform and cancelled.
A UCL spokesman said: "UCL accepts the Bloomsbury Theatre was not contractually entitled to cancel the Zionist Federation event and has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum."
Organisers said the soldiers had never seen active service and were in the education unit, which entertains at bases and on the front line.
