Still More Theater Saturday - Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library & The Devil's Disciple

We received complimentary tickets to Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library

Where: 59E59 Theatres

             59 E. 59 St.

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 12 and Up

When: Through November 10, 2024

It is a historical fact that in 1933 German Jewish historian and philosopher, Hannah Arendt, was briefly arrested, imprisoned, and interrogated by the Gestapo for several days for allegedly researching antisemitism. This play imagines what went on during time.

  

The show is a two-hander although another actor does appear in one short section of the play.  The performances are quite good. Ella Dershowitz manages to project both strength and fearfulness as Hannah. Brett Temple as her interrogator, Karl, plays a man who has just moved into his current role and clearly wants to impress his superiors. He's like an overeager puppy torn between bearing his teeth and wagging his tail.  Drew Hirschfield also does a nice turn in a role as lawyer, Erich. 

Although it is a thoughtful and interesting play at times it seems a bit repetitious. It also may be  especially hard for some people to think about the Nazis and people wanting to control what people say and do and setting certain people apart as "other" in light of recent events in this country. Anyone who feels that way might want to skip this show.

And that's our view. For more about Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library or to purchase tickets, visit 59e59.org/shows/show-detail/mrs-stern-wanders-the-prussian-state-library

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 We received complimentary tickets to The Devil's Disciple for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: The Devil's Disciple

Where: Theatre Row - Theatre Two 

              410 W. 42nd St..

              New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 12 and Up

When: Through November 23. 2024

George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple has nothing to do with the devil. Rather it is about a character who questions the conventions of his day thereby rendering himself quite unpopular. The story is based on true events of the Revolutionary War and is set in New Hampshire. 

It is billed as a dark comedy although it is actually only moderately funny. It is surprisingly uplifting. It is about people standing up for what they believe in and for others no matter what it costs them. We can learn a lesson from that in today's extremely divisive world.

In a twist on the old Shakespearean tradition of having all the characters even the women played by men, in this show, all of the characters are played by women. This is very fitting for a Shaw show since he was known for avidly supporting women's rights. The cast is quite diverse as well. They work together well and have good chemistry particularly Nadia Williams and Folami Brown in the roles of Richard Dudgeon, the Devil's Disciple himself, and the reverend's wife, Judith respectively.  All in all, it is an engaging thoughtful show.

For more information about The Devil's Disciple and to purchase tickets, visit gingoldgroup.org/past-seasons/the-devils-disciple-5

Tune in Saturday for Still More Theater Saturday.

Photo credits: 

All Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library production photos by Valerie Terranova

All The Devil's Disciple production photos by Carol Rosegg

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image,  contact us here, and we will look into the matter.