The Holocaust has inspired another Sophie’s Choice-style dilemma with the latest production at The King’s Head Theatre.
Restitution is an interesting discussion of our emotional attachment to material goods and the rightful ownership of Jewish property stolen by the Nazis.
Playwright Emily Juniper based Restitution on Baddiel and the Missing Nazi Billions – a documentary by David Baddiel which examines the complexities of restitution around post-Holocaust Europe.
The plot revolves around Robert (played by Alastair Kirton), a Jewish man who is dumbfounded when he stumbles upon a painting, Hero, in a German art gallery. He tells the gallery assistant, Berta (Chloe Gilgallon), that Hero was stolen from his family by the SS during the Second World War. He believes that the painting, his family’s lost treasure, is rightfully his.
The action onstage consists solely of a discussion between Robert and Berta as to who rightfully owns Hero – interspersed with bizarre episodes in which Berta describes the journey of Hero to tinny ambient music. They are the only cast members, and the action is entirely naturalistic – which might explain why the play is no longer than an hour and ten minutes long.
Robert and Berta have a strange relationship, going for a drink as though it is their first date and Berta pouring her heart out about the travails of single motherhood before they switch back to arguing about the painting. But their characters are not developed enough for us to care about them – and the drama is too stale to hold my attention.
The ethical dilemma is an interesting one. But as a piece of theatre, Restitution fails to excite. It ends up as more an overambitious stab at kitchen-sink realism than a witty and thought-provoking problem play that will be performed for years to come.
Restitution has various showings up till 1 April. For pricing and dates, go to the Kings Head Theatre website.
