Hess

5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A 93 year old Rudolph Hess shuffles on to stage feeding crumbs to the birds. Born in Alexandria Egypt in 1894. He became Hitler’s second in command, sometimes speaking for the fuhrer.

We meet him in confinement almost 42 years after he was first imprisoned.

Decorated as a pilot in WW1 he was fighting for what he believed in.

The real genius of this monologue performed by Derek Crawford Munn makes you start to wonder what would have happened if Germany had won. You can hardly believe this man could be such a monster.

Kept in solitary for most of his time, he was allowed 30mins a month to see family. With absolutely no body contact, even Christ touched the lepers.

He said his vision was not to take over Great Britain, but can you believe a man who lied and manipulated his way through the Nuremberg trials. Convincing them not to convict him against crimes of humanity.

Although played as a doddery old man. when he slips into speeches about the war, the softness goes from his eyes and standing upright you can tell this is a man not to argue with.

Derek ‘s performance is magnetic, likely rather like Hess, when he speaks you are transfixed by him. 

As Hess says we are transfixed by the 3rd Reich, books, films, TV shows and plays all fascinate us. Do we all secretly wonder what our lives would be like if things were run the way Hess wants. 

There is a feeling of Trump, Farage and other despots about Hess, you do understand him, sympathise with his situation, yet once again you realise how terrible it could be. 

I highly recommend this play for the magnetic performance and the insight in to our own minds.