Writer/Director: James Hyland
Brother Wolf is an award-winning theatre company specialising in mainly one-man shows featuring James Hyland. Looking through their list of upcoming performances, often based on 19th century classic novels, you are struck by the fact that A Lesson from Auschwitz has no further performances planned, hardly surprising in one sense: the subject matter has – shall we say? – a limited appeal.
All the more credit, then, to Skipton Town Hall for taking on this spell-binding show which left a decent-sized audience simultaneously enthralled and appalled. In 1941 apparently Rudolf Hoss, Commandant of the concentration camp at Auschwitz, assembled his SS personnel to reveal the introduction of a new poison gas, Zyklon B, to be used on its Jewish inmates. In what he sees as an inspiring address, one other person is present, a Jew, Abraham, who has been recaptured after escaping, who is there for one purpose: to be bullied and humiliated.
Hyland’s Hoss is a dominant figure, his every move accompanied by loud clicking of heels. He can be pleasant and restrained, but his madness is never far below the surface as he explains that Auschwitz will become “the largest human slaughter house in history”. He shows sympathy, but only for those SS men faced with the unpleasant task of exterminating Jews face to face: hence the need for Zyklon B. His voice rises suddenly to a shout as he recounts the multiple atrocities of the Jews.
However, much as his incarnation as the SS commandant of our nightmares impresses, the true inspiration for this piece lies in the role of the audience. We are the SS personnel for whom Hoss is so solicitous (do we have our drinks?), who are appealed to to applaud notable achievements and who (above all) must prove our credentials as ice-cold killers.
The key test is whether we avert our eyes from the beating to the point of collapse of Abraham. Standing stock still on stage when we enter is Ashton Spear in prison uniform and for half the play he remains so, Hoss prodding and beating him with his cane from time to time. Then comes the crucial beating, Spear and Hyland’s cries as he is cruelly thrashed across the back adding to the impact.
Both contrasted performances are tremendously powerful, but the true horror is to see fanaticism treated as normal.
Reviewed on 8 August 2025
