A Thing of Beauty Review: Imogen Stubbs Electrifies as Grilled Nazi Propagandist Leni Riefenstahl
Tabard Theatre, London – In a powerful new theatrical production, Imogen Stubbs delivers an electrifying performance as Leni Riefenstahl, the notorious Nazi propagandist film director and rumored lover of Adolf Hitler. A Thing of Beauty, written by Wendy Oberman and Jonathan Lewis, imagines a fictional 1972 BBC interview that serves as a surrogate for legal interrogation, exploring deep questions of moral responsibility and historical accountability.
The Television Deposition as Modern Interrogation
Since Peter Morgan's Frost/Nixon premiered two decades ago, plays about celebrated television interviews have become a significant theatrical trend. This production joins works like James Graham's Best Of Enemies and Doug Wright's Goodnight, Oscar, along with television dramas about Emily Maitlis and Prince Andrew. The genre taps into our cultural fascination with the pivotal interrogation moment that dominates contemporary crime fiction.
In cases involving Nazi collaborators who maintained postwar careers, the television deposition effectively became a substitute for legal questioning. A Thing of Beauty cleverly channels this dynamic, presenting Riefenstahl's interview as a high-stakes confrontation where truth and evasion dance in delicate balance.
Stubbs' Masterful Portrayal of a Complex Figure
Imogen Stubbs shines as Riefenstahl, delivering a performance that is by turns pugnacious, flirtatious, and inventively evasive. She captures the essence of a genius of on-screen presentation who was equally skilled at self-propaganda. Stubbs neatly differentiates between public and private personae, creating a chilling effect reminiscent of dramatic works about Nazi figures confronting their past.
The actor demonstrates how Riefenstahl recognizes her interviewer's intent to trap her into pro-Hitler statements and antisemitic revelations, employing every possible ruse to reduce and seduce him. When Riefenstahl first speaks during the formal interview segment, the atmosphere turns as frigid as in Christopher Hampton's adaptation of George Steiner's The Portage to San Cristobal Of AH.
Televisual Rhythm and Supporting Performances
The production employs a distinctly televisual rhythm, with short scenes divided by musical stings featuring live cello from Oona Lowther. This structure effectively mirrors the pacing of actual television interviews while maintaining theatrical tension. The world of British television at its peak feels authentically rendered, complete with imperious executives, perfectionist technicians, and the era's problematic gender dynamics.
Tony Bell delivers fine supporting work as Harry Adams, the fictional alcoholic, philandering journalist hiding his own grim private shame. Sophie McMahon also impresses as the era's standard target for misogynistic behavior, adding depth to the production's exploration of workplace dynamics.
Historical Context and Contemporary Relevance
While the play takes creative liberties with historical details – notably inventing the character of Harry Adams and suggesting BBC One would clear peak-time slots for such interviews when unrepentant Nazis typically appeared on BBC Two – it remains grounded in important truths. The British television visibility of figures like Riefenstahl, Albert Speer, and Winifred Wagner stemmed from a moral determination to address how the Holocaust could have occurred.
This question remains burning today, and the play's central exploration of moral responsibility – examining those who saw and knew but didn't act – feels particularly topical in light of many recent and current global cases. The production raises urgent questions about complicity, accountability, and the stories we tell ourselves about history.
Production Details and Future Prospects
The short run at London's Tabard Theatre, featuring a major star like Imogen Stubbs, suggests hopes for the production to transfer elsewhere. With some potentially fiddly subplotting trimmed, the show possesses strong potential for future engagements. A Thing of Beauty continues at the Tabard Theatre until March 1st, offering audiences a compelling examination of one of history's most controversial artistic figures through the lens of television's interrogatory power.
