REVIEW
Farewell Mister Haffmann
Park Theatre (studio)
Oscar Toeman (director)
95 (length)
13 March 2025 (released)
13 March 2025
This powerful play by writer Jean-Phillipe Daguerre gets its London premiere at the Park Theatre It has been a major success in France and other European countries and its themes and message of courage over fear is both timely and thought-provoking in a world were suspicion and power play is an on growing threat.
Set in Paris towards the end of World War Two, we find Josef Haffmann a jewish jeweller trapped in the city and under the threat of capture by the Nazis. He has managed to get his wife and children to exile in Switzerland. But, with the growing threat, he makes a trade with one of his workers Pierre to take over the business and more importantly hide him in the cellar of the property until the war is over. This leads on to a further equally extreme trade, namely providing the chance for sterile Pierre to father a child, something he and his wife Isabelle yearn for. This monthly sexual arrangement provides much of the initial humour in the play, which then becomes much more tragic as month-by-month Isabelle, Pierre’s wife fails to fall pregnant. For Pierre this leads to anger and frustration, and he buries himself in his work, making the company a surprise success. This then brings the French Nazi Ambassador Otto Abetz into their lives as one of his best customers, endangering everyone when Pierre invites him and his wife Suzanne for a suckling pig supper. The tension and pent-up emotions simmer and then boil over dramatically as the play reaches its climax.
The acting throughout is stunning. Alex Waldmann plays Josef with such sincerity and vulnerability and then when facing the worst moments, finds such courage. Michael Fox as Pierre has so many emotions to balance and is enthralling. His tap dancing to hide the sounds and the thoughts in his head are stunning theatrical moments. Jennifer Kirby plays Isabelle with such heart hiding much of her feelings. Becoming more of a puppet in the risky arrangements, but then finally becoming their saviour. Nigel Harman’s Otto is a smiling executioner that you know is going to explode at some point and when he does its chilling. As Suzanne his overtly brash wife, Jemima Rooper is a joy and provides much of the diffusive humour around the tension packed final scene.
The adaption by Jeremy Sams is sharp and builds the tension perfectly. This is then enhanced by the decisions of director Oscar Toeman, designer Rebecca Brower and lighting designer Christopher Naine, to create the claustrophobic qualities that add much to power and focus of this excellent production.
A gripping thought-provoking story brought cleverly and beautifully to life.
Photo credit: Mark Senior
Set in Paris towards the end of World War Two, we find Josef Haffmann a jewish jeweller trapped in the city and under the threat of capture by the Nazis. He has managed to get his wife and children to exile in Switzerland. But, with the growing threat, he makes a trade with one of his workers Pierre to take over the business and more importantly hide him in the cellar of the property until the war is over. This leads on to a further equally extreme trade, namely providing the chance for sterile Pierre to father a child, something he and his wife Isabelle yearn for. This monthly sexual arrangement provides much of the initial humour in the play, which then becomes much more tragic as month-by-month Isabelle, Pierre’s wife fails to fall pregnant. For Pierre this leads to anger and frustration, and he buries himself in his work, making the company a surprise success. This then brings the French Nazi Ambassador Otto Abetz into their lives as one of his best customers, endangering everyone when Pierre invites him and his wife Suzanne for a suckling pig supper. The tension and pent-up emotions simmer and then boil over dramatically as the play reaches its climax.
The acting throughout is stunning. Alex Waldmann plays Josef with such sincerity and vulnerability and then when facing the worst moments, finds such courage. Michael Fox as Pierre has so many emotions to balance and is enthralling. His tap dancing to hide the sounds and the thoughts in his head are stunning theatrical moments. Jennifer Kirby plays Isabelle with such heart hiding much of her feelings. Becoming more of a puppet in the risky arrangements, but then finally becoming their saviour. Nigel Harman’s Otto is a smiling executioner that you know is going to explode at some point and when he does its chilling. As Suzanne his overtly brash wife, Jemima Rooper is a joy and provides much of the diffusive humour around the tension packed final scene.
The adaption by Jeremy Sams is sharp and builds the tension perfectly. This is then enhanced by the decisions of director Oscar Toeman, designer Rebecca Brower and lighting designer Christopher Naine, to create the claustrophobic qualities that add much to power and focus of this excellent production.
A gripping thought-provoking story brought cleverly and beautifully to life.
