Marylebone Theatre, London
**
Music by Natalie Brice
Lyrics and book by Brian Belding
Directed by Will Nunziata
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| The cast of White Rose |
White Rose is a musical with its heart in the right place but sadly, not much else.
Based upon the real life group of Munich-based student activists who in the 1940s took a stand against Hitler’s regime, the show lacks the humbling genius of the brave young Germans who were its inspiration.
Other musicals have brilliantly tackled the ghastliness of the Third Reich, with Cabaret, The Sound of Music and The Producers (to name but three) all drawing on differing combinations of wit, irony and pathos to describe that darkest period of Europe's 20th-century history. White Rose however barely gets beyond repetitive, shallow, expositional numbers (which annoyingly, are not even listed in the programme), mostly set to jarringly forgettable rock rhythms. The impressively gifted and accomplished cast representing the best of young British musical theatre talent, are wasted on these mediocre melodies.
The show ends with the noble students singing “We will not be silenced” . If only…
Runs until 13th April
Photo credit: Marc Brenner
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