A play for our Times
ROSE-
Dir Richard Beecham.
Dame Janet Suzman as Rose.
HOME Theatre
May 25th- June 10th
PREVIEW
“ROSE” tells a refugee’s story - a story of the one Jewish woman in the 20th Century which serves now as an allegory of the refugee problem in Europe right now. Last performed the UK 20 years ago ROSE does not judge, nor does it politicise. Nor is Rose very concerned about her religion. She simply a somewhat eccentric 80 year old woman, living in Miami relating how she personally dealt with what it was to face displacement, persecution, confusion, and a sense of being a permanent outsider. All this whilst living a life, a facing personal crises of love and loss, before being reconciled with herself and her circumstances. Martin Sherman , who wrote it, is most famous for Bent - the story of two homosexual Jews in Auschwitz and this play is a companion piece. Rose, however is a survivor; she drives through life because she has to, facing decisions of how to deal with oppression, prejudice or just simple hostility. How she does so and how her humour and personality help her survive is the story of the play. Janet Suzman, just 2 years younger than Rose herself, says her humour is what attracted her to Rose.
For anyone else just going to see the great actress herself would be enough, but her a play this well written and this relevant to today is a must. Go and see it .
Elaine Bermitz
16-05-2017
