Alone in Berlin, Alistair Beaton’s translation and stage adaptation of Hans Fallada’s iconic novel Jeder stirbt für sich allein, is based on true events and portrays an everyday couple’s fight for change and revolution within Nazi Germany.
Directed by Mrs Hargreaves and Mr Harvey, the Lower Sixth SSTC production was captivating and moving, depicting the lives of a husband and wife, Otto and Anna Quangel (Frank Qi and Olivia Pigram). The realistic representation of their resistance to the Nazi regime created a sincere and engaged atmosphere within the theatre as we closely followed the couple’s battle for peace and justice in Germany’s tyrannic and suppressive society.
The pain and hardship that came with their mission was evocatively performed. We witnessed many heartbreaking scenes exploring the development of Otto and Anna’s characters, driven by them finding a new purpose in their lives; disrupting the fear within Nazi Germany and leading the anti-Nazi revolution one postcard at a time. Their relationship deepened as they connected with each other through matching mindsets and determination for justice. Otto’s incessant and irrelevant attempts to protect his wife against the danger of his actions were particularly compelling and moving. The cast kept the audience enthralled, maintaining tension throughout painfully expressive scenes.
I also loved how the story was viewed from three connected perspectives, exploring different facets of the same situation, while representing different sides of German society – the bystanders, the rebels and the law. The audience left the theatre with a newfound respect and perspective of the lives of Germans and the scale of the inescapable violence and fear that coated their society.
