Hopeful or ‘hate-fuelled’? Film of controversial play about Israel gets London premiere

Director says Seven Jewish Children by Caryl Churchill, which provoked fury at its first production in 2009, is a family story' at heart

The premiere of Caryl Churchill's short play Seven Jewish Children at the Royal Court theatre 16 years ago proved to be one of British theatre's most controversial opening nights.

Audiences were immediately divided by the British playwright's deliberately stripped-back treatment of Jewish generational fear and Israel's history of conflict.