Hope blooms in a masterclass of nuanced performance

Memory is a fickle beast, the temptation to forget is in conflict with a duty to catalogue the events that shape a complex life. This battle is more fraught when the memories are rooted in the Holocaust, where intergenerational trauma and secrets make for uncomfortable bedfellows. The war may have ended in 1945 as the echoes of the fallen were still ringing in the ears of a shaken Jewish diaspora, but for Simon Wiesenthal, his work continues as he painstakingly tracks the remaining Nazi collaborators who have been the silent partners in his life, and marriage to his long-suffering wife.

Our host to this journey from the horrors of the Holocaust, through the tumultuous years that followed as the survivors attempted to rebuild their shattered lives, Christopher C. Gibbs, an actor who deftly juggles the multiple characters in this tale of Nazi hunting, redemption, hope and survival. Despite the heat engulfing the crowded room, and the challenging content in a world mired in conflict, the sole storyteller somehow transitions through time, place and a flawless array of personas to chart the history of the search to bring those who committed crimes on behalf of the Nazi party to justice.

As Simon reaches into the recesses of his memory and effortlessly switches from his haunted past to a present he is eager to protect, the audience witnesses a man advancing in years, resolved to pay respect to the Jewish lives who, without the dedication of brave and fearless chroniclers of history, would be another number in the dark history of humanity.

Thankfully, the actor pierces the stark truths with moments of light and spontaneous humour, which is a refreshing palate cleanser during a show which demands emotional endurance from the performer and the audience. The utterly staggering transitions between characters, with ease and expert fluidity soften the emotional blows and offer some levity and respite to a show that is a masterclass in nuanced performance and humility.  

4 stars

Emily Hutchinson

Wiesenthal
Ayers House State Dining Room
25Feb – 8 MarTickets at FringeTix: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/wiesenthal-af2026