Adolf (drama)

"Adolf" is an award-winning [ [http://www.pip-utton.com/putton/pip_utton_the_man.htm Pip Utton - The Performer Playwright Dramatist ] ] monodrama written by a British actor and playwright Pip Utton in 1997 (originally performed by him and directed by Guy Masterson), and in its latest form, first produced in 2002. In reviewing Hitler's inner world, the play carries several anti-Fascism undertones. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/stage/2003/11/adolf.shtml BBC - Berkshire Stage - Adolf ] ]

The play has had considerable success internationally; it has been performed in India, Ireland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Singapore, Norway, New Zealand and Australia [http://www.pip-utton.com/putton/adolf.htm Pip Utton as Adolf ] ] [ [http://www.inkpot.com/theatre/05reviews/0305,adol,ni.html FLYING INKPOT THEATRE REVIEW: Adolf by Pip Utton Theatre Company ] ] . A performance was also given in Finland. [ [http://www.estemb.fi/eng/events/aid-368 Estemb in Helsinki ] ]

Structure

The play is customarily performed by a single actor playing all the rôles. The only major rôle is that of Adolf Hitler.

Set in the Hitler's underground bunker in 1945 and designed to be played using minimal resources, the props of the play are limited to three: a banner of German Nazi party hung vertically in the background, a table in centre stage left, and a wooden chair. Promotional material often features photographs of the actor, dressed like Hitler, standing in front of the flag.

Roughly the first half of the play is spent on an overview of Hitler's political ideas, extensively citing Mein Kampf. The quotations are, to a significant extent, chosen for their obvious outrageousness, in expectation that a modern watcher wouldn't find it hard to disagree with them. The rest of the play is dedicated to demonstrating that even half a century after Hitler's death, his "poisoned utopias" and "warped logic" — the "spirit of Hitler" — live on in modern societies. A number of theathre critics [http://www.theatretoursinternational.com/PastShows/PSDomestic/PSAD.htm Past Shows Domestic: ADOLF - Pip Utton ] ] have found this turnaround a defining and deeply moving aspect of the play.

Reviews

Prevent Genocide International [ [http://www.preventgenocide.org/prevent/news-monitor/2004mar.htm March 2004 News Monitor - Prevent Genocide International ] ] : cquote|It is a searing analysis of fascism, and the arguments Hitler used to justify genocide to educated, cultured, reasonable people like us, making them collectively responsible for the deepest, most enduring scar on the 20th century. Adolf is structured to lull us first into believing we are on the “right” side vis-a-vis Hitler. Once we are feeling comfortable, it unsettles us by worming its way into our minds to tease out prejudices we hold consciously or unconsciously against people of other religions, regions, caste, colour or sexual orientation, whose elimination by hook or by crook would assure us, we believe, of our utopias.

Artificial controversy

On July 4, 2007, the Estonian Minister of Justice, Rein Lang, celebrated his 50th birthday in the Gunpowder Cellar of Tartu. Among the celebration's programme was a performance of this play, performed by Indrek Taalmaa and directed by Ervin Õunapuu, both of the theatre Vanemuine that had included the play in its regular programme from September 10, 2005 to April 4, 2007. The regularly scheduled plays had taken place on the same stage, in Gunpowder Cellar.

Russian media spun this event as the minister "decorating his birthday with swastikas", [Postimees July 6, 2007: [http://www.postimees.ee/060707/esileht/siseuudised/270888.php Rein Langi juubelipidu äratas huvi Vene meedias] ] [Eesti Päevaleht July 6, 2007: [http://www.epl.ee/artikkel/392259 Vene meedia haaras Rein Langi sünnipäeva mõnuga hambusse] , edited by Tuuli Aug] and compared it to a scandal happened three years earlier, when Prince Harry had dressed up as a Nazi during a fancy dress party. [REGNUM July 5, 2007: [http://www.regnum.ru/english/852694.html Estonian justice minister “decorates” his birthday party with swastika] ]

Further reading

* [http://www.pip-utton.com/putton/adolf.htm Official website by the author]
* [http://www.artuk.co.uk/fringe99/ustinov/adolf.htm Official website by the producer]
* [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/adolf-rev.htm Review] by Peter Lathan
* [http://www.pip-utton.com/putton/index.htm Website of Pip Utton]
* BBC Berkshire November 18, 2003: [http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/stage/2003/11/adolf.shtml Adolf]

References