Playwright: Hannah Moscovitch
Director: Christian Barry
Songs by: Ben Caplan & Christian Barry

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story is 2b’s biggest-ever touring hit, having been performed more than 400 times in 37 cities around the world, winning critical acclaim and awards the world-over.

A humourously dark folktale woven together with a high-energy concert, this Klezmer music-theatre hybrid starring genre-bending sensation Ben Caplan is inspired by the true stories of two Jewish Romanian refugees coming to Canada in 1908.

It’s about how to love after being broken by the horrors of war. It’s about refugees who get out before it’s too late, and those who get out after it’s too late. And it’s about looking into the eyes of God.

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a thing of raw and unmissable beauty

Herald Scotland

Critics' Pick

New York Times

It is hard to imagine a more apt time for a production with so clear a moral centre.

The New Yorker
Buy TicketsPresenter's Section

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story‘s development was supported in part by the National Arts Centre. Old Stock’s 2020/21 touring activity is supported in part by The Azrieli Foundation

Creative Team

  • Playwright Hannah Moscovitch
  • Director Christian Barry
  • Songs by Ben Caplan & Christian Barry
  • Additional music by Graham Scott
  • Ben Caplan The Wanderer
  • Eric Da Costa Chaim, woodwinds
  • Shaina Silver-Baird Chaya, violin
  • Graham Scott keyboard and accordion
  • Andy Wiseman  drumset
  • Stage Manager Christine Oakey
  • Production Manager Louisa Adamson
  • Sound Operator William Fallon
  • Tech Manager Rory Howson
  • Tour Producer Rebecca Desmarais
  • Music Director Graham Scott
  • Assistant Director Laura Vingoe-Cram
  • Costume Design Carly Beamish
  • Set Design Louisa Adamson & Christian Barry 
  • Lighting Design Louisa Adamson & Christian Barry

Upcoming Tours

Production History

  • May 2017 World Premiere, Waiting Room, Halifax NS
  • Jul 2017 2017 Canada Scene, NAC, Ottawa ON
  • Aug 2017 CanadaHub, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh UK
  • Mar 2018 59E59 Theaters, New York City USA
  • May 2018 Citadel Theatre, Edmonton AB
  • May 2018 Mayfest, Old Vic, Bristol UK
  • Oct 2018 Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry UK
  • Oct 2018 Arts Depot, London UK
  • Oct 2018 Hertford Theatre, Hertford UK
  • Oct 2018 Gulbenkian, Canterbury UK
  • Oct 2018 The Old Market, Brighton UK
  • Oct 2018 The Lowry, Salford UK
  • Oct 2018 Oxford Playhouse, Oxford UK
  • Nov 2018 Cast, Doncaster UK
  • Nov 2018 Parkstad Limburg Theatre, Heerlen Netherlands
  • Nov 2018 De Lawei, Drachten Netherlands
  • Nov 2018 Groningen De Oosterpoort, Groningen Netherlands
  • Nov 2018 Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands
  • Dec 2018 Segal Centre, Montreal QC
  • Jan 2019 Sydney Festival, Sydney Australia
  • Feb 2019 Melbourne Arts Centre, Melbourne Australia
  • Feb 2019 Adelaide Fringe Festival, Adelaide Australia
  • Mar 2019 Stanford Live, Stanford CA, USA
  • Mar 2019 Belfry Theatre, Victoria BC
  • Apr – May 2019 Tarragon Theatre, Toronto ON
  • Sep 2019 Wilton’s Music Hall, London UK
  • Oct 2019 National Arts Centre, Ottawa ON
  • Oct – Nov 2019 Neptune Theatre, Halifax NS
  • Jan 2020 PuSH Festival, Vancouver BC
  • Feb 2020 Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary AB
  • Aug 2021 Confederation Centre, Charlottetown PEI
  • Aug 2022 Theatre Aquarius, Hamilton ON
  • Sep 2022 Theater J, Washington DC, USA
  • Oct 2022 Saskatchewan Jewish Arts Festival, Saskatoon SK
  • Oct 2022 Winnipeg Jewish Theatre, Winnipeg MB
  • Nov 2022 Harold Green Jewish Theatre, Toronto ON
  • Dec 2022 SFU Woodward’s, Vancouver BC
  • Mar 2023 Fredericton Playhouse, Fredericton NB
  • Mar 2023 Imperial Theatre, Saint John NB
  • Mar 2023 Capitol Theatre, Moncton NB
  • Apr – May 2023 Belfry Theatre, Victoria BC

We are actively touring this show across the world. Interested in bringing it to your community?