UK Orthodox Jewish Comedian Ashley Blaker Will Return To New York With GOY FRIENDLY

Ashley Blaker, the UK's internationally acclaimed Jewish stand-up comedian, is returning to the United States with a hilarious and thought-provoking new Off-Broadway show this winter - and this time it's not just for the Jews. ASHLEY BLAKER: GOY FRIENDLY tells the story of how Ashley's close friendship with a Muslim completely changed his life, and will have a limited engagement run Monday, February 3, 2020 - Sunday February 23, 2020 at SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street).

Ashley Blaker has already conquered the Jewish world. He has performed on five continents including tours of the UK, USA, Israel, South Africa and Australia. His previous Off- Broadway show, 'Ashley Blaker: Strictly Unorthodox', ran for five weeks at the Theater Center and was called 'a slickly funny stand-up show' by the New York Times. He is now returning to New York to perform a new show that isn't just for his large Jewish fanbase but which, for the first time in the US, is truly GOY FRIENDLY.

With Anti-Semitism on the rise across the globe, and with some of the most recent instances unfolding in New York and New Jersey, ASHLEY BLAKER: GOY FRIENDLY is a timely show, using humor to break down walls and demystify Judaism to the outside world. Blaker says 'This show is about Jewish life; its beauty, its intricacies and absurdities; what divides us and most importantly what unites us - to each other and the wider world. The show aims to make the audience laugh but also for the audience to understand a little bit about why we do what we do.'

In ASHLEY BLAKER: GOY FRIENDLY, Blaker explains how the way he saw his life was completely changed by his friendship with an Islamic comedian called Imran Yusuf. His Muslim friend wanted him to explain Judaism and, having initially struggled to do it, Blaker developed a new Ten Commandments for the 21st Century. In the show, Blaker goes through his new commandments and covers everything from the bizarre world of kosher restaurants to the almost biblical requirement to develop Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Since last performing Off-Broadway, Blaker has made his debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a sold-out run of his show 'Observant Jew'. He is the also first Orthodox Jewish comedian to be given his own BBC show - 'Ashley Blaker's Goyish Guide To Judaism' - which returned in October 2019 to rave reviews. Blaker has been featured on PBS News Hour, CBS, Fox News, in the New York Times, New York Post, Financial Times, Jerusalem Post, Süddeutsche Zeitung and in Jewish newspapers all across the world. In October 2019, Blaker also produced the triumphant return of the comedy phenomenon 'Little Britain' after a 12 year hiatus. As an award-winning comedy writer and producer, he has worked with a who's who of British comedy.

The production is directed by Matt Roper, lighting design is by Brandon Bogle, wardrobe is by Summer Hyde, Kari Adams is the production consultant and Darren Lee Cole is the Artistic Director of SoHo Playhouse.

Performances of ASHLEY BLAKER: GOY FRIENDLY are on Mondays - Thursdays at 7:30PM and Sundays at 7:30PM, with matinees on Wednesdays at 3PM and Sundays at 5PM. There is also an additional Saturday night performance on February 8th at 7:30PM.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online at: https://www.sohoplayhouse.com/ashley-blaker-goy-friendly

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