Review: A PINK TRIANGLE at Phoenix Theater

There’s no gentle way into A Pink Triangle, and that’s exactly the point. This new play by Kirby Taylor, now running at Phoenix Theater in Minneapolis, wastes no time setting its tone—grim, intimate, and deeply human. Set in a Nazi concentration camp, the story focuses on a father and son forced into proximity after years of silence, betrayal, and shame. It’s heavy material, but what emerges is a tightly focused, emotionally charged drama that lingers long after the lights come up.

David Michaeli plays Lars, a young gay man imprisoned and marked with a pink triangle. He’s joined in the camp by his estranged father, Hans—played by Robb Krueger—whose disgust for his son’s sexuality is as immediate as the threat of the guards outside their cell. The dynamic between them is volatile, and Michaeli and Krueger handle it with a quiet intensity that makes the play’s silences just as powerful as its dialogue.

Michaeli brings a raw honesty to Lars, avoiding easy sentiment in favor of something more grounded and restrained. His performance builds steadily, and when it breaks through, it hits hard. Krueger gives Hans a rigid presence, one that gradually—and believably—crumbles as guilt, fear, and memory close in. Together, they create a dynamic that feels heartbreakingly real, even in the play’s more stylized moments.

Directed by Kjer Whiting, the production is stripped down to its essentials. The set is minimal, almost barren, which feels appropriate given the subject matter. Lighting and sound are used sparingly but effectively—just enough to frame the emotional beats without getting in the way. It’s the kind of show that relies entirely on the strength of the writing and performances, and thankfully, both deliver.

At just over an hour, A Pink Triangle doesn’t overstay its welcome. It tells one story—two men in a room, with everything they’ve left unsaid—and tells it well. There’s no sweeping narrative, no grand resolution. Just a slow, painful reckoning between a father who refused to accept his son and a son who no longer has the luxury of pretending that’s okay.

This isn’t a flashy production, and it doesn’t need to be. It’s raw, focused, and honest—and sometimes that’s more than enough.

For more ticket and show information, please click the ticket link button below.

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