Jack Studio Theatre – until 4 August
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
5*****
I first heard about The White Rose about 15 years ago in a German pub. I had seen various Geshwister Scholl schools but had no idea who the Scholls were. That changed when I got pulled into an argument by a drunk student trying to convince his friends to sign a letter of protest – about what I can’t remember – with increasingly incoherent and sweary references to The White Rose. When I asked what The White Rose was I was met with resigned smiles and sat in awe as the (sober) students told me about their acts of resistance during WW2. I suppose their story didn’t quite fit with the Allies’ narrative about the war in the 20th century, but now it is astounding that a group so admired and revered by the youth of Germany – Alexander Schmorell is now a saint – is largely unknown in the UK. The strangely sterile German films made about the group haven’t helped, but there are some fantastic books out there, one of which “A Noble Treason” by Richard Hanser inspired Ross McGregor to write The White Rose.
Arrows & Traps have a stellar reputation from their classical productions, and this original play will hopefully introduce the company to a new, wider audience. The company are clear and confident in their vision, unafraid of taking risks, and while every production is unmistakeably Arrows & Traps style, the writer’s voice is never diluted. This cocoon of creative support has enabled McGregor to produce a beautifully framed portrayal of the core members of The White Rose.
Beginning with newsreel footage of troops and devastation accompanying one of Hitler’s ranting rallying speeches as Sophie Scholl (Lucy Ioannou) sits in an interrogation room before Robert Mohr of the Gestapo enters (Christopher Tester). After being seen distributing The White Rose’s final leaflet, Sophie and her brother Hans were arrested, and Mohr works to extract a confession. Calm, methodical and detached, Tester is truly intimidating as Mohr, making his occasional bursts of anger even more terrifying.
The formation of The White Rose is shown in flashbacks, from Sophie’s arrival in Munich to study and her introduction to her older brother Hans’s friends Christoph Probst, Willi Graf, Alexander Schmorell and Traute Lafrenz, their decision to publish and distribute their arguments against Hitler’s “total war” to their last meeting as Sophie and Hans take a suitcase of leaflets to the University. McGregor doesn’t sanctify the characters – they can all be pretty pompous and annoying – but their humanity and morality shines through. The philosophical and religious idealism of the group is in stark contrast to the ideology of the Third Reich, and McGregor manages to keep their arguments and statements pacy and passionate rather than preachy, with a lovely familial baiting sense of humour amongst the group. Alex Stevens captures Willi’s wild-eyed faith while Conor Moss is a charming, wistful Alexander. Beatrice Vincent and Pearce Sampson deliver beautifully nuanced performances as Traute and Christoph. Will Pinchin and Lucy Ioannou are sublime as Hans and Sophie – utterly convincing as siblings and making you truly care about the pair with their dynamic and passionate performances. The shifts from present to flashbacks are seamless, with magically choreographed movement that highlights the energy and hope of the students and the animalistic brutality of the Nazis.
There are many warnings from history in this play, with many phrases from the Third Reich horrifyingly familiar today, and the students’ glee at finding grammatical errors in Hitler’s statements brings a big laugh of recognition, but the bravery of the students to voice their resistance when the nation lived in oppression and fear is inspiring and heart-breaking. The trial of Sophie, Hans and Christoph is swift, simple and stylish, with the three actors making the stiffest of top lips wobble when they give each other encouraging smiles. The executions of the group are described calmly and unsensationally, with an inspired framing of their last words that had me running out of tissues.
The White Rose is a stunning production that tells this inspirational story with intelligence, integrity and passion. Grab a ticket while you can.