Adolf (drama)
Encyclopedia
Adolf is a critically acclaimed monodrama
written by a British actor
and playwright
Pip Utton
in 1997 (originally performed by him and directed by Guy Masterson), and in its latest form, first produced in 2002. In reviewing Hitler's inner world, the play carries several anti-Fascism
undertones.
The play has had considerable success internationally; it has been performed in India
, Ireland
, Hong Kong
, Netherlands
, Belgium
, Germany
, Estonia
, Singapore
, Norway
, New Zealand
, Cyprus
and Australia
. A performance was also given in Finland
.
.
Set in the Hitler's underground bunker
in 1945 and designed to be played using minimal resources, the props of the play are limited to three: a banner of German Nazi party hung vertically in the background, a table in centre stage left, and a wooden chair. Promotional material often features photographs of the actor, dressed like Hitler, standing in front of the flag.
Roughly the first half of the play is spent on an overview of Hitler's political ideas, extensively citing Mein Kampf
. The quotations are, to a significant extent, chosen for their obvious outrageousness, in expectation that a modern watcher wouldn't find it hard to disagree with them. The rest of the play is dedicated to demonstrating that even half a century after Hitler's death, his "poisoned utopias" and "warped logic" — the "spirit of Hitler" — live on in modern societies. A number of theatre critics have found this turnaround a defining and deeply moving aspect of the play.
Monodrama
A monodrama is a theatrical or operatic piece played by a single actor or singer, usually portraying one character.- Monodrama in opera :...
written by a British actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
Pip Utton
Pip Utton
Pip Utton is a British actor and playwright known for a number of plays, including the award-winning Adolf, and . As one of the leading solo performers of United Kingdom, most of his plays are monodramas, performable by a single actor...
in 1997 (originally performed by him and directed by Guy Masterson), and in its latest form, first produced in 2002. In reviewing Hitler's inner world, the play carries several anti-Fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
undertones.
The play has had considerable success internationally; it has been performed in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. A performance was also given in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
Structure
The play is customarily performed by a single actor playing all the roles. The only major role is that of Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
.
Set in the Hitler's underground bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
in 1945 and designed to be played using minimal resources, the props of the play are limited to three: a banner of German Nazi party hung vertically in the background, a table in centre stage left, and a wooden chair. Promotional material often features photographs of the actor, dressed like Hitler, standing in front of the flag.
Roughly the first half of the play is spent on an overview of Hitler's political ideas, extensively citing Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf is a book written by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. It combines elements of autobiography with an exposition of Hitler's political ideology. Volume 1 of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926...
. The quotations are, to a significant extent, chosen for their obvious outrageousness, in expectation that a modern watcher wouldn't find it hard to disagree with them. The rest of the play is dedicated to demonstrating that even half a century after Hitler's death, his "poisoned utopias" and "warped logic" — the "spirit of Hitler" — live on in modern societies. A number of theatre critics have found this turnaround a defining and deeply moving aspect of the play.
Reviews
Prevent Genocide International:Further reading
- Official website by the author
- Official website by the producer
- Review by Peter Lathan
- Website of Pip Utton
- BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Berkshire November 18, 2003: Adolf