Here There Are Blueberries review — a harrowing encounter with the depths of human depravity
In a quiet yet powerful documentary drama, Rebecca Erbelding (Philippine Velge), a young curator at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, grapples with a collection of disturbing photographs from the Auschwitz concentration camp. These 116 images, spanning 32 pages, depict guards, senior officers, families, doctors, and female radio operators, but notably, no inmates or Jews. Erbelding's boss advises her to focus on the details, emphasizing that an excessive emphasis on the broader moral landscape can be overwhelming.
The play, titled Here There Are Blueberries, is a 90-minute forensic exploration, inviting audiences to piece together the moral puzzle themselves. Moisés Kaufman, the director, and Amanda Gronich, the co-writer, embarked on this project after The New York Times published some of these photographs in 2007, when an 87-year-old American officer donated them to the museum.
Derek McLane's set design is a masterful transformation of the museum's offices into a space that accommodates testimonies, explanations, and giant projections of the photographs on the back wall. The sheer scale of these images is extraordinary, evoking a range of emotions. From Larky poses to casual interactions, the play highlights key figures, such as Josef Mengele, the infamous 'Angel of Death,' and Rudolf Höss, the camp commandant whose picturesque family home stood in stark contrast to the horrors unfolding nearby.
The narrative primarily centers on Karl Höcker, the SS officer whose album it was. A chilling scene portrays Höcker, who died in 2000, posing with a group of female radiographers, enjoying a basket of fresh blueberries. This moment encapsulates the 'banality of evil,' a concept only briefly mentioned in the play, by a Nazi publicist who reflects on their mistakes near the end.
Kaufman's masterpiece embraces complexity while confronting the worst of humanity. The atmosphere is urgent yet composed as a cast of eight, predominantly British with American accents, delivers intricate details about Solahütte, a nearby Polish resort where officers sought relaxation. In 1944, with the German war effort crumbling, a Christmas party was held for the officers' children.
Despite the profound impact, the review acknowledges a sense of unease in awarding the play a perfect score. The question lingers: Was the review sufficiently absorbed, surprised, horrified, or moved to tears? The answer, it seems, is a resounding yes. The play is a must-see, but it's unlikely to be replicated in the theater's programming, as it operates on its own unique terms.
The final moments of the drama are particularly poignant, as images of the victims appear, leaving a lasting impression that is both familiar and deeply unsettling. The play's impact is as powerful as it needs to be, ensuring a memorable and thought-provoking experience for audiences.
Here There Are Blueberries is a testament to the enduring power of art in confronting the darkest aspects of human history, leaving a lasting mark on those who bear witness.
