Even if you know little about the heroic stand taken against Hitler’s regime by the German student Sophie Scholl, you will guess the likely outcome of her act of rebellion.
In 1943, she was arrested along with her brother for treason when they distributed anti-war leaflets opposed to the Nazi Government.
Emma Rogers, Holly Allan and Rachel Gilmour take turns to play Sophie through different parts of her history. The show opens and closes with Sophie, played by Emma, speaking of how she would “love to be alone in nature even when life is falling apart”.
We glimpse scenes from her schooldays when she defends a younger classmate from a bullying teacher (Barry Morrell). We see Sophie and others poking fun at the League of German Girls, a version of the Hitler Youth, which the girls regarded as simply preparing them for motherhood.
She decides to support the non-violent White Rose group to campaign against Hitler with leaflets, pamphlets and graffiti. While distributing leaflets, she is arrested. A good portion of the play is occupied with her interrogation by Robert Mohr (Adam James Johnston), a member of the Gestapo.
She could have denied any involvement, but when her brother Hans (Alexander McGarrie) is forced to confess, she offers an admission of her participation to shield others. At one point, Mohr, perhaps suspecting she isn’t guilty, orders the person recording the interview out of the room so he can indicate a different line to her. A guilty verdict will mean execution by guillotine.
This is a moving, confidently performed historical account of a brave young woman, aged 21, who stands as an inspiration for all those fighting injustice.