Wednesday 11 March 2015

'Taken at Midnight' Theatre Royal, Haymarket ****

Staging theatre productions based on factual events can be slightly daring; especially when the themes of the performance are very notorious. The spectacular Chichester Festival Theatre’s recent West End transfer of Mark Hayhurst’s debut play, ‘Taken at Midnight’ was an exhilarating play that engrosses you to a point of pure shock as to how the Nazi power treated those outside of  their understanding of the “norm”, plus the performances were increasingly magnetic.

‘Taken at Midnight’ is set in the time period between 1931-1937 which depicts how lawyer, Hans Litten became infamous for prompting  the Felsneck Trial in 1932 where Adolf Hitler had to speak up about his repugnant actions toward the Jewish community in Germany. However, there are repercussions as he is immediately sent to prison, where he comes in contact with inmates, Eric Musham (Pip Donaghy) and Carl von Ossietzky (Mike Grady) who are in there for political reasons.  Hans’ mother, Irmgard Litten is furious with her sons’ incarceration and demands Dr Conrad (John Light) that he must be released as the grounds of his sentence are unjust.  Dr Conrad of course is a trusted member of the Nazi regime and rejects Irmgard’s explanations and commands her to stop meddling in matters that she may not necessarily know of.  Conversely, she decides to instigate a petition for her sons’ release and communicates with the British government to aid her in her quest for justice and her meeting with Lord Clifford Allen (David Yelland) does not exactly go according to plan as Lord Clifford believes that this could cause some trouble in maintaining some level of morale. Irmgard is a persistent woman and constantly bombard Dr Conrad to the point in which he ensures that Hans’ life is miserable and torturous as possible.  As such he is transferred to Sonnersberg prison and concentration camp and in strange circumstances, Irmagrd is given permission to visit her son in the camp and she’s frightened to see what has happened to her son as his eye has been gauged out and he’s become slightly immobile in his legs due to his open opinions.  The intensity of his anguish becomes too much for Hans to handle as he commits suicide rather than be murdered by the soldiers in the camp. Hayhurst’s narrative is hypnotic as there is such a comprehensive amount of details within the plays form where we see a mother fighting for her sons’ justice in a society that hates the democratic voice.

One found the performances by the company of ‘Taken at Midnight’ to be outstanding as the characterisations are phenomenally meticulous through carefully considered vocals and movements. Penelope Wilton is the heart of this performance as Hans’ mother, Irmgard; specifically Irmgard’s obligation to have her sons’ release and her constant battle with Dr Conrad to make him see sense that her son is not a criminal and should not be treated in the same manner. Martin Huston is captivating as the imprisoned lawyer, Hans Litten; principally when you see his anger increase when he is forced to sing a song that supports the Nazi’s and how his many stints at concentration camps have made him become even bitterer toward his life prospects.


Jonathan Church’s direction is stunning here as we can see how the Nazi forces in its advancement caused an enormous amount of people who found it hard to have a free voice caused immense derision of how politics can be corrupted. Robert Jones’ design is positively gloomy as you are riveted into the harsh reality of how countless members of the Jewish community were exterminated for their religious beliefs; also the scenic art is magnificent here. Overall, the experience of ‘Taken at Midnight’ is an exceptional piece of theatre that makes you think about how dictatorship is still rife today. 

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