White Rose The Musical
If Tobias Turley had a penny for every time he has played a musical's leading man opposite the protagonist named Sophie, a young woman who disregards societal expectations and stands her ground for what she feels is true... he'd have 2 pennies (which isn't a lot, but in concession is a strange occurrence). Turley and counterpart Colette Guitart - playing his 21 year old little sister - lead the charge both within the story and on stage, showcasing their outstanding vocal abilities at all times.
The story they tell is, in short, one we all know well. A group of young people see something they don't believe in and speak out against it. However this one is set during WW2 in Nazi Germany, so you'd expect the stakes to feel slightly higher than your typical high school rebels tale. Unfortunately, they do not. Director Will Nunziata has missed the mark for adding quality and emotional connection to the piece, with the performers seeming to recognise this and attempting to adapt the material to fit the shallow confines they have been given to work with. The skeleton is all there but there is no meat on the bones, so to speak.
Another brilliant talent was Danny Whelan, who demonstrates the true meaning of acting through song despite his belty ballad being almost incoherent due to the messily written lyrics. This is a theme throughout, and calls into question the choice to make it a musical. None of Natalie Brice’s numbers advance the plot in a way that dialogue couldn't, and if you have ever seen a show and thought 'well there was absolutely nothing creative about that, they just spoke the same words they would have if it was a play, but set it to music and allocated a note to each word' then you will be familiar with the experience provided by The White Rose.
Having the luxury of a large cast, it was disheartening to see every missed opportunity to make full use of them - with the same 4 principles taking up 90% of the stage time. While it's not uncommon for ensemble tracks to be made less imperative because they are composed of understudies and swings, there were genuinely cast members bowing who you could not remember seeing during the 2 hour production.
The length of the show is relevant in more ways than one here: firstly it's too slow, and seems this may be intentional when reading creator Brian Belding’s notes in the programme. The show originated as a one act off-Broadway project and has been extended specifically for this run. This is content for content's sake and does not add any depth to the characters or plot line.
Storm Lighting’s design (and, indeed, operation by deputy stage manager Sarah Back) is the only commendable technical element, accompanied by subpar sound quality and a basic, unchanging set.
This show had the opportunity to tell an incredibly important story in a time when we desperately need rallying against oppressors. Unfortunately, I left feeling more exhausted than excited by this throwaway attempt at inspiration.
This show was reviewed on the 4th March 2025 at the Marylebone Theatre, London where it runs until the 13th April 2025. Tickets available here: White Rose: The Musical at Marylebone Theatre
Review written by Katie Anna McConnell
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Photo credit : Marc Brenner
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