“We will not be Silent”.
” Stand Up and Resist”.
“Truth, Freedom and Honour”.
These words are the bedrock of this morality tale that is also a true story of speaking truth to power.
I didn’t know the true story of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose, but it can’t be repeated enough so that the deeds of these brave Germans are not forgotten.
I saw the first ever preview and I thought it was a great production. It’s different to anything I have seen before in the West End which is what you want when going to a new theatre show. Originality is a hard found currency.
This powerful new musical is about a courageous group of university students who stood up to Hitler and were an example of youthful resistance to the Nazi Regime.
The brave young sister and brother who ran the “White Rose” resistance group were called Sophie and Hans Scholl. Based in Munich the university brother and sister had three other students and a teacher helping them.
These outraged students and professors wrote pamphlets denouncing the Nazi Regime and secretly left them in public areas all over the city of Munich to try and spread the word and encourage resistance.
I give huge credit to Brian Belding who is the writer of this production as he stuck to the true story of these brave people, but also made the show entertaining and sometimes even funny. A hard thing to do when telling stories about the Nazis. It would be interesting to see why he chose this story and why he chose to turn it into a musical. It worked though.
Collette Guitart who plays Sophie steals the show, which is a tough act considering the talent of the supporting cast. You might recognise Collette from “Why Am I So Single” as she was Lessa Tulley’s lead understudy. Her voice is incredible, and you can tell that the songs suited her voice. Sometimes with singers their diction can be a bit dicey, but I could understand every single word she was saying.
The last song before the interval stood out and you knew that she wanted to belt it out but saying that it didn’t feel forced. It felt true to the moment and was deeply moving.
Tobias Turley plays Sophie’s brother, and Mark Willshire plays their teacher (Kurt Huber) and both were exceptional. Their voices are incredible, and you can tell that they are great actors too. All the other cast members complimented each other and added to the story.
The songs are brilliant, and it is hard to choose a favourite but for me it was “If Sophie Knew.” The reason why I love this song is that there is a bit of irony to it, it’s as if she was with us today, echoing back to her desperate self in 1943. Her hope to make a difference resonates into the future and finds voice in this song.
The flow of the show was excellent. The only criticism looking back at it now is the end. I feel like they could make it more dramatic, one minute they are going to meet up and carry on resisting and then suddenly they are all arrested and being sentenced.
After a little bit of research I found that in real life the Gestapo and the judge offered a pardon just to Sophie if she repented. She refused and stood in solidarity with her brother and comrades. What incredible bravery.
I think they could have put this into the finale. Not only would it be theatrically powerful, but it would also have added more depth to an already amazing script and storyline.
You need to bring a box of tissues with you, I didn’t expect to cry, but the writing and performances were so good that I couldn’t contain my emotion. As my Auntie Lizzie says, “it got me right in the feelers”.
I thought that the unbearably dark nature of the Nazis could only really be portrayed on stage, especially musically by parody, like “The Producers.” The White Rose however hits the perfect note, it is unsettling in showing the people who fought against Hitler and the ultimate risks they took, but is also inspirational.
The White Rose is on at The Marylebone Theatre from 27th Feb – 13th April. It is a short run, and I would be very surprised if it doesn’t find a marquee theatre in the west end for a longer stint. That’s how good it is.
I really appreciate a show that is original, and I would rather see this than the never-ending list of musicals and plays that are rebooted just to make money.
I know I always say this but do not miss the chance to watch something meaningful, impactful and uplifting.