Under The Skin tells the story of the love affair between the Nazi officer Anneliese Kohlmann and one of her female Jewish prisoners in Neuengamme concentration camp. The play is based on Kohlmann’s Belsen trial protocol, and also on Holocaust survivors’ testimonies.
The show, written by Israeli playwright Yonatan Calderon, had a successful Israeli production which ran for over two years in the Gay Centre Theatre in Israel. This work-in-progress presentation will be its UK debut.
From the reviews:
Fringe Review – Strat Mastoris
“The play tells one of the lesser-known stories of the Holocaust. The piece is highly relevant today as it highlights characters from both the Jewish and the Gay Communities and explores themes of loyalty and betrayal in the face of war and destruction.
At the close of the Second World War, Europe was awash with people who’d lost everything. Their country. Their home. Their family. Everything but their life. The victorious Allied armies set up camps to provide aid and shelter, and the people themselves were classified as – Displaced Persons.
Displacement is a central device in ‘Under The Skin’, in several senses of the word. Just three actors portray a number of characters in Yonatan Calderon’s play – seven in all, constantly moving between identities – and the action constantly jumps back and forth between two wars, almost fifty years apart. We could very easily have lost our bearings, but Ariella Eshed’s confident direction kept the narrative coherent – creating links across the decades like a well-choreographed ballet”
For the full review: http://fringereview.co.uk/review/brighton-fringe/2018/under-the-skin-2/
The Jewish Renaissance – Judi Herman – 4 stars
“…a production of great theatrical beauty; From the moment the performers intertwine … Eshed and her cast share their vision with the audience and establish a style of physical theatre that literally fleshes out the themes of interdependence and control, the conflict of power and affection… ”
For the full review: http://www.jewishrenaissance.org.uk/blog/review-theatre-under-the-skin/