White Rose tells the story of Hans Scholl (Tobias Turley) who set up a movement against the Germany’s genocide policy. Joined by his sister Sophie Scholl (Collette Guitart) they started to produce and distribute leaflets under the name White Rose to make people aware of the atrocities that were taking place and speaking out against Hitler.

Their actions put them in grave danger of being caught would mean they would be sentenced to death. Regardless of the threat they continued to speak out they wrote that “we will not keep silent” about what they knew the truth to be.

An historical musical needs to have an impact on audiences and sadly this one falls flat. The ending of the White Rose story should have been a powerful one as they are sentenced to death. Instead, the cast threw a second batch of pamphlets into the audience to uplift the spirits I felt this was in bad taste considering these activists were executed. Their legacy alone deserved a more respectful and considerate production.

Justin Williams’ set designer creates a backdrop to show that the cast is living in bleak war-torn Munich, with piles of rubble by the sides of the grey walls. Alongside Alex Musgrave’s lighting which casts shadows on the White Rose team who are avoiding the Gestapo Police and attempting to stay anonymous to continue informing people what was happening in Nazi Germany.

The harrowing details of the true life story behind the White Rose were missing from the musical version. The songs aren’t particularly memorable and lacked strength and passion. The characters the cast portrayed were activists standing their ground, none of this came across during the performance it lacked power and conviction of the cause they believed in and stood up to.

For more information about White Rose and future productions at Marylebone Theatre, please visit the link below.

Two Stars.

https://www.marylebonetheatre.com/

Photo credit Marc Brenner

Further information about White Rose.

In 1942 Hans Scholl founded the “White Rose” movement with some of his fellow medical students. Among the White Rose members were Sophie Scholl, Christoph Probst, Willi Graf, and Alexander Schmorell. The “White Rose” movement was one of the few German groups that spoke out against Nazi genocidal policies.

Cast:

Collette Guitart, Tobias Turley, Owen Arkrow, Danny Colligan, Charley Robbie, Millie Robins, Nathan Shaw, Thomas Sutcliffe, Danny Whelan, Mark Willshire, Ollie Wray.

Creative team:

Director Will Nunziata
Musical Director Caitlin Morgan
Assistant Musical Director Livs Needham
Orchestrator Paul Schofield
Creator, Book Writer and Lyricist Brian Belding
Composer Natalie Brice
Lighting Designer Alex Musgrave
Sound Designer Dan Samson
Set Designer Justin Williams
Costume Designer/Supervisor TBC
Casting Director Harry Blumenau CDG
Produced by Produced by Sam Houlihan, Sam Biondolillo, and JLWN Productions
Executive Producer/General Management Thomas Hopkins Productions