for any playgoer who wants to see a significant, serious, relevant play of significant conflicts and ideas as opposed to the empty-headed Broadway show ‘fluff’ prevalent in our declining modern theatres these days.
This is one of Miller’s best, which plays very powerfully within a tight 70 minute structure. It is about eight men in a detention room in Nazi-occupied France awaiting interrogation to decide if they will go to the death camps. This is a truly moral play about human responsibility which would likely not play well in our current time of excuses, copouts, irresponsible behaviors, and me-first.
What is awesome is the extent of honesty with which Miller explores his themes. He is especially surprising on the value of human sacrifice where it is least expected.
The 1973 tv play version from the Broadway Theatre Archives series is well-acted by Rene Auberjonois, Harris Yulin, Richard Jordan (remarkable as an Austrian prince), Andy Robinson (the psycho-killer from Dirty Harry makes an excellent confused Nazi major), and skilfully directed by Stacy Keach (an interesting actor who rose to prominence in the ’60s and ’70s).
This is must-viewing for anyone who is interested in the workings of the Holocaust and the kinds of conflicts experienced by Jews and non-Jews during that crazy time. *It is a play that is still incredibly relevant today given the rise of anti-Semitism in the West. Highly recommended and unforgettable. Miller gives hope where one least expects to find it. An intelligent play and convincing performances. Two thumbs way up.