Irena’s Vow

Irena’s Vow is the compelling true story of a young woman who survived the horrors of Nazi Germany. The heroine of the story Irena Gut, is just a young girl when she has to suffer through the ordeal of the Hitler’s reign. The play blends comedy with a very grave and solemn topic to effectively relay a story that is both gripping and exciting. The story is enhanced by the set and the performance of the main character but, it is hindered by the performances of others.

To offset the seriousness of the situation, there is a brilliant use of comedy. Irena manages to keep the mood light, even while relaying her horrifying tale. Just when the action seems to be getting more and more heated, she slips in a funny comment or jokingly laughs at the situation. It prevents this play from being too much like a lecture or the story of Anne Frank.

The set worked very well. It created more tension to be able to see the Jews in their hiding place while the Nazi soldiers stomped on the floor boards above them. The audience knew that they were just below the Nazi’s feet but they had no clue as to their presence. That added to the drama and seriousness of the situation.

Tovah Feldshuh as Irena is very realistic in the play. The audience can sympathize with her and she really connects with her viewers. She seemed to pick up steam over the course of the play. Her character was exactly how one would imagine her to be which made the play even more true to life. However, Strumbannfuher Rokita, played by John Stanisci, and Major Rugemer, played by Thomas Ryan, hardly fit the bill. They were not Nazis in any sense of the word. They were not believable as the “bad guys”. They did not capture the essence of the Nazi that was intended. Especially on the part of Rokita, he was stern, but not stern enough, he was cruel, but not cruel enough. He did not take his character to the level he needed to be at to be realistic or convincing.

Irena’s Vow was filled with comic relief that greatly added to and enhanced the play. The set of the play added to the suspense and the heroine of the tale created a connection with her audience, while others failed to persuade the audience. All in all the play had its ups and downs but ended on a good note.