Book & Lyrics: Brian Belding
Composer: Natalie Brice
Director: Will Nunziata
Following an Off-Broadway premiere in 2024, White Rose: The Musical has arrived in London and boasts an exciting lineup of UK talent leading a painfully poignant production.
Taking its name from the resistance group formed by a small number of students at Munich University, White Rose: The Musical follows siblings Sophie and Hans Scholl as they bravely stand against the omnipresent Nationalist Socialist regime in early 1940s Germany. Depicting the group’s conception through to the arrest and execution of its core members, White Rose: The Musical is a fascinating and timely production showcasing the importance of coming together and using our voices – whatever the cost.
A bleak, brutalist set design by Justin Williams greets the audience, presenting aged slabs of metal and concrete which are deteriorating into rust and rubble. This suitably parallels the crumbling society and moral wasteland the White Rose is founded within and against which they must fight.
The company’s acting performances are generally consistent, though not as gripping as one might hope given the narrative weight of White Rose. This responsibility may fall with Brian Belding’s book, however, which boasts engaging themes overall but struggles to deliver much impact scene-by-scene. The dialogue sometimes ventures into the territory of feeling expositional or wooden and, in particular, the moments leading into musical numbers tend to feel a bit forced.
Luckily Belding collaborates beautifully with composer Natalie Brice to deliver a strong score within which most of the cast truly shine. From heartfelt ballads to empowering ensemble numbers, all of the production’s best moments are delivered through song – which begs the question: would White Rose: The Musical benefit more from a concert staging?
To further this point, the presentation of some musical numbers feels clunky and uninspired. This is, of course, not a show which demands or would benefit from excessive choreography; however, the cast members sometimes seem to traverse the stage for no other reason than to add movement to a scene.
Watching Collette Guitart perform, though, is a privilege and single-handedly worth buying a ticket. The power, resonance and control she displays while singing is astounding and the world simply falls away as her presence dominates the theatre. Her modern vocal quality and affinity for a riff do jar occasionally within the more modest or sincere moments of this period piece, though she is undoubtedly the standout performer of the production.
Unfortunately relevant amid the right-wing political landscape we are seeing escalate across the globe, White Roses’s message of protest and resistance in a seemingly hopeless situation is absolutely necessary. This external societal context will hopefully bolster audience engagement and encourage viewers to give grace to this brilliantly sung production.
Runs until 13 April 2025
