Defying Hitler
by Sebastian Haffner
"Compelling theatre, immaculately performed"John Gross, Sunday Telegraph Rupert Wickham returns to the National to perform his acclaimed adaptation of Haffner's memoir of growing up in pre-war Berlin, exploring how and why the Germans were seduced by Hitler and the Nazis. Directed by Peter Symonds. Defying Hitler was premiered at the National Theatre in 2003, and subsequently had a successful run at The New End Theatre, Hampstead. Defying Hitler
Born in Berlin in 1907, Sebastian Haffner lived through virtually every major political event in German history from the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 until his eventual emigration to England in 1938. Defying Hitler, which Haffner wrote in 1938, is a chronicle of his life from 1914 to 1933 and of his reflections on the momentous political events taking place.
Haffner subsequently became a highly-respected journalist and historian, but, for reasons known only to himself, this manuscript remained unpublished until his death in 1999. It was left to his son, Oliver Pretzel, to discover the manuscript among his father’s papers, have the book published in Germany, and subsequently undertake the English translation.
This Platform is performed by kind permission of the author’s children, Oliver Pretzel and Sarah Haffner.
Rupert Wickham was recently seen in the West End productiuon of Journey's End. He was Hamlet at Greenwich Theatre, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet for Dame Judi Dench at Regent’s Park, Algernon in The Importance Of Being Earnest at Manchester Royal Exchange, John Watherstone in The Winslow Boy at Chichester Festival Theatre and Captain Gower in Henry V for Nicholas Hytner at the National. Other theatre credits include: St. John Quartermaine in Quartermaine’s Terms, title roles in Macbeth and Richard III, Edmund in King Lear at Ludlow Festival and Siegfried Sassoon in Not About Heroes (NTNT). Film and television credits include: Band of Brothers, The Bourne Identity, The Brylcreem Boys, A Dance to the Music of Time, The Cinder Path and Bertie and Elisabeth and Henry II in The Real Thomas Becket.
Running time is 1 hour 15 mins
Defying Hitler finished on: 26 November 2004
