The Passenger, Finborough Theatre Review
Robert Neumark Jones in The Passenger. Photo by Steve Gregson
Written by Sarah for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The Passenger is a skilful stage adaptation by Nadya Menuhin’s of Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz’s 1938 novel, that lay largely forgotten about until it was rediscovered 70 years later and became a Sunday Times bestseller. The story begins in Berlin in the wake of the violent attacks by the Nazis on the Jewish community that became known as Kristallnacht; night of the broken glass. Synagogues, homes and businesses were ransacked, Jews brutalised and arrested.
Otto Silbermann, a Jewish businessman, is forced to flee from Berlin, leaving his home, business, and family. Across a series of train journeys, Otto grapples with his own identity and how he will survive in this new world order. The Anti Semitic language, violence and greetings of “Heil Hitler” are viscerally affecting and a prescient reminder of exactly why we must ‘never forget’. This is a timely piece of programming from The Finborough given the intensity of the global political situation, making it feel even more vital.
The script is engaging, efficient and infused with lines that resonate beyond the immediate world of the play. This is perfectly balanced with moments of humour (no mean feat, given the subject matter) which produces 90 utterly captivating minutes.
The black box space is transformed into the round, with a tiled floor and simple red benches that give a feel of time and place but the simplicity for the characters to tell the story. The effect is that the audience is ensconced in the intensity of the action, and it is impossible to look away. This is particularly impactful during a full blackout when torch lights search the room, creating palpable tension. The music was a pulsating base that vibrated through the audience and helped propel the story forward.
Everything in this production feels deliberate and the direction by Tim Supple is flawless. The energy is urgent, the stakes are high and there are moments of comedy, stillness and intimacy that break up the brutality. Particularly enjoyable moments are the scenes where strangers awkwardly squeeze past each other in a train compartment and sit in uncomfortable silence and tentatively engage in conversation.
The colourful cast of strangers Otto encounters on the train are fully realised by the accomplished ensemble cast. Ben Fox, Eric MacLennan, Dan Milne and Kelly Price create characters that are recognizable, quirky, celebratory, awkward, unnerving and nuanced. Robert Neumark Jones as Otto begins as a buttoned up business man and gradually disintegrates becoming more despairing, as he desperately tries to make sense of what is happening and claw back his identity. There is a very affecting scene where Otto meets a solo female traveller (played by Kelly Price) where Neumark Jones is open, transparent and vulnerable and as Otto questions if he is even human anymore. Kelly Price in this role and as Otto's wife is warm, poised, elegant and enchanting.
This show leaves its mark and proves exactly why theatregoers should venture beyond WC1 to fringe venues at the thumping heart of the London theatre scene. However, the careful curation of talent and creatives has created a theatrical symphony that makes this show ripe for the West End . Go and see it while you can still afford to.
At Finborough Theatre until 15 March 2025
★★★★★
