Finborough Theatre Witnesses Controversial Sobol Play
by Robert Gould
- Jan 4, 2007
The Finborough Theatre's staging of Joseph Sobol's play 'IWitness' from January 2 to 27 joins a number of other recent London stage productions that highlight in differing ways courageous defiance of Nazism in Germany. In 'The Sound Of Music' Captain von Trapp's refusal to bow to Nazi German rule and join their navy inspires him to flee his beloved Austria with his wife and family and 'Climb Every Mountain' to head for freedom. In 'Cabaret', Cliff Bradshaw finally opens his eyes to the reality of the Nazi menace that is beginning to raise its ugly head in the once divinely decadent Berlin and takes his leave of the city, while Sally Bowles refuses to accept what is happening around her. In Martin Sherman's 'Bent', concentration camp inmate Max Berber stages the ultimate defiance by eventually openly admitting his homosexuality and taking his own life. And in total contrast the musical 'The Producers' promotes Mel Brooks' premise that the best way to oppose the ideology of nazism is to ridicule it.
