{"id":547,"date":"2018-07-24T08:21:46","date_gmt":"2018-07-24T07:21:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cool-banzai.185-132-38-6.plesk.page\/?p=547"},"modified":"2018-07-24T08:21:46","modified_gmt":"2018-07-24T07:21:46","slug":"mengele-a-warning-from-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cool-banzai.185-132-38-6.plesk.page\/?p=547","title":{"rendered":"Mengele – A Warning From History"},"content":{"rendered":"

See trailer at https:\/\/vimeo.com\/221411082<\/a><\/p>\n

As the Labour Party argues over the definition of anti-Semitism* and the Israeli government approves a Jewish Nation State**, divisions deepen and boundaries blur.<\/p>\n

All across Europe and the USA extremist views advance and the Far Right begins to creep into government.<\/p>\n

Against this contemporary background, Smokescreen Productions offers a warning from history at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.<\/p>\n

Mengele<\/em>takes us back to a beach in Brazil in 1979 when a drowning man is washed up on a beach where he meets a mysterious woman.<\/p>\n

The play imagines the notorious doctor of Auschwitz confronted by the woman he assumes has saved him.<\/p>\n

Josef Mengele, known in the camp as \u201cThe Angel of Death\u201d, escaped justice after WW2 and escaped to South America.<\/p>\n

The woman challenges him to attempt to justify the unjustifiable and in so doing exposes the rhetoric of a sociopathic narcissist, echoing arguments we hear again today.<\/p>\n

Created following advice from the Holocaust Educational Trust and endorsed by the Amud Aish Museum of New York, Mengele <\/em>seeks to engage, educate and provoke conversations about the issues of today as much as of the past.<\/p>\n

A short run at Edinburgh last year was followed by an award to take the play to New York as a Fringe Encore winner, then on to a sell out season at Adelaide Fringe 2018.<\/p>\n

Inspired by the novel Right to Die<\/em>, the play is written by Philip Wharam and Tim Marriott, who also performs it with Stefanie Rossi and Emma Wingrove.<\/p>\n

Mengele<\/em>, the play, is inspired by and written to acknowledge the chilling truth expressed by Auschwitz survivor Lydia Tischler<\/strong>who said: \u201call of us have the capacity to be sadistic and horrible to other people. The\u00a0potential for destructiveness\u00a0is in all of us.\u201dMarriott says:<\/strong>\u201cIt is vital for us to understand such men as Mengele, to learn from history, to stop others like them from rising again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marriottis best known for seven series of BBC TV’s leisure centre sit-com\u00a0The\u00a0Brittas Empire<\/em>, appearing in every episode as deputy manager, Gavin. Other TV credits include\u00a0Allo Allo, Doctors, The Bill, An Actor’s Life for Me, The Main Event, Luv<\/em>\u00a0and film credits include the forthcoming\u00a0features\u00a0The Real Thing, Love Type D<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Revelation<\/em>. He recently returned to the stage after an 18-year career break teaching English and drama. He is also appearing in two other Fringe 2018 productions, Shell Shock<\/em>and All Change<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Broadway World <\/em>described the Mengele as \u201ca contemporary expose of a charming manipulator and sociopathic narcissist\u201d. In a five-star review T<\/em>he <\/em>Adelaide Advertiser<\/em>said: \u201cIt is important, today as much as ever, and\u00a0it is brilliant.”<\/p>\n

Mengele<\/em>has earned critical praise in the UK and overseas. Australian Stage<\/em>praised the \u201csheer power of the writing and the mastery of the performances …\u201d. Daily Business<\/em>called it: \u201ca masterclass in acting and writing\u201d \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605.<\/p>\n

Fringe Review<\/em>said: “We cannot ignore this tale and it is a legacy we ought to be sharing with our children … It scared me.\u00a0Such is the power of good theatre done well.” Highly Recommended<\/em>. Other reviews include \u201cAbsolutely riveting\u201d \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605Broadway World (Australia)<\/em>, \u201cA commanding performance… a masterclass\u201d 4.5\u2605 Adelaide Theatre Guide<\/em>, \u201cA tremendous performance… very good theatre\u201d \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 InDaily<\/em>.<\/p>\n

* https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2018\/07\/17\/jeremy-corbyn-called-anti-semite-racist-former-labour-minister\/<\/a><\/p>\n

** https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/israel-approves-contentious-jewish-nation-state-law-angering-arabs-11441345<\/a><\/p>\n

– Ends –<\/strong><\/p>\n

Listings Details<\/strong><\/p>\n