"Giant" Takes on Roald Dahl and His Antisemitism

"The dramatist's encounter with the audience, whether disappointing or exhilarating, is a unique, indelible experience. This thought occurred to me last August, as the director and playwright Mark Rosenblatt and I hightailed it from a restaurant in London's Soho, down the red-lanterned alleys of Chinatown and through the blinking neon hubbub of Leicester Square, to the Harold Pinter Theatre, in order to second-act the penultimate night of Rosenblatt's West End hit, 'Giant.'"

"The play is a study of Roald Dahl, one of England's most celebrated children's authors (three hundred million copies of his books have been sold worldwide), and the scandal he caused, in 1983, by making antisemitic statements in a review of a book about Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon."

"The way that 'Giant' gathered momentum was almost surreal: first, there was the involvement of such theatre greats as Nicholas Hytner (the former artistic director of the National Theatre and a co-founder of London's Bridge Theatre), the actor John Lithgow, who plays Dahl, and the set and costume designer Bob Crowley; then a première at the legendary Royal Court, in 2024, where 'Giant' was, according to the theatre's artistic director, David Byrne, one of the best-selling shows in its seventy-year history; three Olivier Awards, including Best New Play; and the West End run at the Harold Pinter, where 'Giant' sold out every show for fourteen weeks."

Mark Rosenblatt's debut play 'Giant' explores the life and controversy surrounding Roald Dahl, England's celebrated children's author. The play centers on the scandal Dahl created in 1983 when he made antisemitic remarks in a review about Israel's invasion of Lebanon. The production achieved remarkable success, premiering at the Royal Court Theatre in 2024 where it became one of the venue's best-selling shows in seventy years. The play garnered three Olivier Awards, including Best New Play, and featured prominent theatrical talent including director Nicholas Hytner, actor John Lithgow as Dahl, and designer Bob Crowley. After a sold-out fourteen-week West End run at the Harold Pinter Theatre, the production expanded internationally with productions in Riga, Barcelona, and Madrid, with a Broadway opening scheduled at the Music Box Theatre.

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