Theatre Review: All in Favor (מי בעד) at the Cameri Theater

An “Only in Israel” Comedy with a Heart and a Twist

By Rachel Golda Bernstein

Written by: David Bielanka and Roni Brodetzky

Directed by: Roni Brodetzky

Venue: The Cameri Theater (arranged with TOLMURV SA and DOS CINCUENTA Y NUEVE SL)

Runtime: 1.5 hours (no intermission, Hebrew subtitles)

The Setup: A Relatable Chaos

The play opens in one of the Cameri’s smaller, fully sold-out theaters. Starting a fashionable five minutes late—accompanied by the standard, sober announcement of what to do in the event of a siren—the production immediately grounds itself in Israeli reality.

The curtain rises on an incredible, meticulously detailed set representing a classic, run-down binyan meshutaf (shared apartment building). From the bikes cluttered in the stairwell to the random magnets on the apartment doors, the attention to detail is remarkable. Soon, the cast enters, perfectly disguised as the classic archetypes we all know too well: The spoiled kid whose parents pay his rent. The overbearing old lady who nose-busies into everyone’s affairs.The grumpy older man permanently dressed in a tracksuit. And more.

The Plot: From Trash Bags to “Crazy Neighbors”

They gather for what should be a standard tenants’ meeting. The discussion kicks off with typical, mundane grievances—trash bags left in the hall and renovating the Miklat (bomb shelter). They are on the verge of reaching a peaceful agreement when a metaphorical bomb is dropped: one of the apartments is set to be rented to someone struggling with mental illness.

Instantly, the polite facade crumbles. The meeting erupts into desperate, frantic chatter to prevent “crazy people” from moving in. Ironically, through their increasingly unhinged, hysterical, and prejudiced scheming, the tenants themselves become the very “crazy” presence they are trying to keep out.

What follows is classic Israeli situational comedy, a subtle love story, and a sharp critique of mental health stigma, all building toward a surprise ending that completely reframes the entire plot.

Sharp Commentary Disguised as Farce

While the tenants throw around serious terms like “psychopath” without having any idea what the prospective tenant’s actual diagnosis is, they concoct outrageous strategies to stop the lease—including a wild plan to co-rent the apartment themselves. Along the way, their own secrets come to light, proving that none of them are quite as “normal” as they think.

“A giraffe lives with other giraffes.”

This line from one of the tenants perfectly sums up their tribalistic mentality. Yet, the writers handle this sensitive topic with immense care. All in Favor shows how judging someone based entirely on prejudice and hearsay inevitably leads to disastrous (and hilarious) consequences.

A Brilliant, Localized Adaptation

Though based on a Spanish play, creators Roni Brodetzky and David Bielanka have completely overhauled the script to fit a distinct “only in Israel” vibe. As Brodetzky noted in an interview with Kan’s Alon Fruchter:

“To be honest, we rewrote the play to make it completely Israeli… Our characters are not politically correct; they voice their darkest fears, but they have the opportunity to change their position on mental health issues. The play brings up the most natural fears people have, and in fact, it’s very, very funny.”

The translation is seamless. After all, nobody in Spain is fighting over renovating bomb shelters. The humor, the dilapidated building, and the defensive, loud, yet warm-hearted characters are so recognizable that you’ll feel like you’re sitting in on your own building’s meeting.

The only slightly unrealistic detail? The tenants are actively fighting over who gets to be the head of the Vaad Bayit. In real life, Israelis will do almost anything to avoid that job!

The Verdict

All in Favor is a brilliant, laugh-out-loud comedy that manages to deliver a vital message about empathy without ever feeling preachy. It is human, hilarious, and deeply local.

Tickets are available now on the official Cameri Theater website.