Comic claims he was libelled following run-in with Israeli audience member

Paul Currie is planning to sue the Soho Theatre for libel after being branded antisemitic over his performance there.

In February, Chortle revealed how Jewish comedy-goers complained they felt threatened and intimidated by the Northern Irish stand-up, who is said to have led chants of ‘get out’ and ‘free Palestine’ during his show at the London venue.

However other audience members said they didn’t believe that Currie had been antisemitic, and that the incident was just a crowd interaction gone sour.

After investigating the incident, Soho Theatre banned him from returning, and put out a statement saying they ‘will not tolerate intimidation of audience members due to their nationality, race, religion or beliefs’.

It added: 'On Saturday evening [February 10] following the end of Paul Currie’s show Shtoom, Jewish members of the audience were subjected to verbal abuse and the performer aggressively demanding they leave the theatre.

‘Such appalling actions are unacceptable and have no place on our stages, now or ever. We will not be inviting Paul Currie back to perform at our venue. 

‘Whilst we robustly support the right of artists to express a wide range of views in their shows, intimidation of audience members, acts of antisemitism or any other forms of racism will not be tolerated at Soho Theatre.’

Now Chortle can reveal that Currie has instructed lawyers Rahman Lowe to put together a defamation case against the venue for that comment. Partner Zillur Rahman told Chortle: ‘Mr Currie has decided to bring a claim for libel.

‘The theatre said his conduct during the show was antisemitic - he vehemently denies this. The theatre's press statement suggesting that he was antisemitic went viral. This has harmed his reputation as a liberal/left comedian who is against all racism and he feels compelled to challenge the accusation.’

Currie was reported to police over the incident, which was also taken up by the Campaign Against Antisemitism. The Metropolitan Police said today: ‘This investigation is still ongoing. Anyone who was at Soho Theatre on Saturday February 10 who would like to come forward is asked to call police on 101, quoting 1879/12FEB.’

The incident started after Currie produced the Palestinian flag during his show, Shtoom, to make a statement about peace (see below) – and came to a head when the comic orchestrated his own standing ovation at the end.

Currie spotted one man who remained in his seat and asked him  why he didn’t stand, saying: ‘Didn’t you enjoy my show?’

The man, later identified as 33-year-old Israeli software engineer Liahav Eitan, replied: ‘I enjoyed your show until you brought out the Palestinian flag.’

It apparently provoked Currie to order him out of the theatre, with Eitan saying he was left terrified by the 'mob mentality' of the crowd, many of whom, he said, were up on their feet shouting, ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘get out’ at him.

He added that as he left, Currie ‘got out his Palestine flag again and shouted "motherfucker you'll have to watch it again on your way out".’

‘What had been intended to be an evening of comedy turned out to be what felt like an antisemitic rally,’ Mr Eitan said at the time. 

One online complaint said the incident ‘escalated into screaming at this young man, [with Currie] repeatedly shouting "Leave my fucking show, Now!".’

But other audience members said that although the exchange was uncomfortable, they did not feel Currie’s response was antisemitic.

One told this website: ’Some people did shout and clap for "ceasefire now" - some people stood up…. At no point did what happened feel like an antisemitic rally or that we were witnessing an antisemitic rant. If it had, we would have left immediately. 

‘It didn't feel like things escalated after the young man and others left and it didn't become "more inflamed."  It did feel like a disappointing end to what had been a good show.’

Rahman has put out an appeal to anyone in the audience who might corroborate Currie’s account to come forward to help his case (email zrahman@rllaw.co.uk if you wish to do so) 

The lawyer said: ‘The evidence of reasonable, objective people who witnessed it will be crucial. We would not at this stage envisage any need to come to court to give evidence but we do need to know that there are witnesses who will give fair and accurate accounts of what happened to corroborate Paul Currie and what they recollect.’

In 2011, Rahman Lowe won an apology and ‘substantial’ damages from columnist Julie Burchill after she accused their client, the journalist Ash Sarkar, of being an Islamist, a hypocrite and worshipping a paedophile.

Earlier this year the company helped sociology professor sacked by the University of Bristol over allegedly antisemitic comments.  An employment tribunal riled that Prof David Miller was unfairly dismissed, and that his anti-Zionist beliefs qualified as a ‘philosophical belief’ and so a protected characteristic in the eyes of the law.

And they represented a University Challenge contestant who won an apology and damages from Conservative peer Jacqueline Foster, who wrongly claimed an octopus soft toy used as her team mascot was chosen as an antisemitic trope.

Soho Theatre declined to comment today on the possible legal action.

Published: 5 Jun 2024