12-37 is a captivating play about the connections between Irish and Jewish nationalism, and how the struggle to survive as a perpetual outsider inevitably leads to violence. At the center of the story are brothers Paul and Cecil, Irish Jews whose personal ambitions are sublimated to family demands and later, to political need. Though painted on a broad canvas, 12-37 deftly maintains its focus on the personal: the simple efforts of two men to find meaning and happiness in a world turned upside down.

12-37 is a powerful play with a broad historical scope, taking in Ireland in the 1930s, the Nazi sympathizes in England, The Spanish Civil War, the holocaust and the founding of the state of Israel. Even with this scope, the play never loses focus on the drama between its main characters, two brothers, who are Irish Jews, out of place everywhere. It’s also a very theatrical play, using a variety of techniques to dramatize and surprise.