White Rose at the Marylebone Theatre Review

By Jude

White Rose promises an uplifting, relevant, and hopeful story, now playing at the Marylebone Theatre.

Following its Off-Broadway run, White Rose is a new musical written by Brian Belding and directed by Will Nunziata. It tells the true story of university students Hans and Sophie Scholl, who founded the anti-Nazi, non-violent resistance group The White Rose. They risked their lives writing and distributing leaflets to expose the truth and inspire defiance against Hitler’s regime.

Collette Guitart delivers a compelling performance as Sophie Scholl, embodying courage, perseverance, and extraordinary bravery, while also showcasing powerhouse vocals. Tobias Turley brings charm, earnestness, and naturalism to the role of Hans, the overprotective older brother, with his rendition of They’re Here Now being particularly captivating. The ensemble’s harmonies were beautifully blended, adding a lovely sound to the production.

This is an undeniably important story—one that remains strikingly relevant in today’s world, where themes of resistance and justice are as urgent as ever. It offers a chilling reflection of the reality in places where injustice still reigns. However, while moving, the storytelling didn’t quite reach the emotional depth, complexity, or nuance I had anticipated.

Musically, there are standout moments, particularly in group numbers like Pride and Shame and We Will Not Be Silent, which effectively capture the spirit of revolution. However, some songs felt thematically and sonically similar, which caused the score to lack dynamic variation at times. While I thoroughly enjoyed the piano-only music during the press launch, at times the pop-rock style of the show’s score felt at odds with the complex and heavy subject matter.

Sound issues were unfortunately noticeable throughout the performance, especially in the first act. At times, key lines of dialogue were lost, and as a result, important parts of the story became unclear. This created a bit of a disconnect, making it difficult to fully follow the progression of the narrative in certain scenes. The loss of dialogue occasionally made it harder to connect with the characters and fully engage in their journey.

While the performances were engaging, the visual direction of the show occasionally faltered, particularly during the more dialogue-heavy scenes. There was a distinct lack of movement or visual variety to keep the energy and attention flowing. These static moments made the pace feel a bit sluggish, and, at times, it was difficult to stay fully invested in the story. The show would have benefitted from more dynamic staging to capture and retain the audience’s focus—perhaps through more frequent changes in blocking, a greater sense of movement within the space or more dynamic changing set.

The set (Justin Williams) was a stripped-back, single-set stage. Two wing-like walls framed the stage, and a balcony upstage added an interesting visual layer, which was needed given the starkness of most of the stage. Knowing the history of Sophie and Hans Scholl’s arrest, I had anticipated a climactic moment of defiance as they threw leaflets from the balcony. However, the directorial decision to alter this moment left me confused, especially as the only benefit of this change—an immersive staging element—was mirrored minutes later by the full cast.