REVIEW: NOT EVEN THE DOGS at Old Red Lion Theatre 16 – 20 January 2024

‘Dark and harrowing drama’ ★★★★

A hell on earth, The Warsaw Ghetto not only claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of European Jews but also stands as a monument of inhumanity to all, showing how the lives and dignity of any group of people can be strangled and snuffed out by another. Its narrative, and that of the Holocaust overall, is one we’re all familiar with but how well do we know the real lived experience of those who suffered through it?

It’s bringing to life these experiences that the team behind ‘Not Even the Dogs’ have made core to their show, an effort that brings forth much dark and harrowing drama. The story of the play is epic in scope, switching between multiple arcs centered on the Jewish community of Warsaw – from the tense pre-war days of the 1930’s to the depths of Ghetto liquidation in the 1940’s. These arcs all relate back to the show’s protagonist, Emanuel Ringelblum, whose response to the tragedy consuming his friends and family is to document everything so future generations will know the truth.

A real life figure, Ringelblum’s efforts lead to the creation of the Ringelblum Archive that has succeeded in keeping the memory of the Warsaw Ghetto alive to the present day. In this way, the show itself is a direct product of its protagonist’s own efforts, breathing life into the stories left behind by those no longer able to share them.

This effort is aided by the show’s adept lighting and sound design, making particularly good use of the intimate setting of a pub theatre environment to create a world that draws the spectator in, making the fading community of Warsaw feel real. It should be no surprise then that those working behind the curtain were also involved in last year’s critically acclaimed production of ‘The White Factory’ at Marylebone Theatre, which tackled similar subject matter.

Rounding all this out is a committed ensemble performance from the cast, who hop from role to role as the story progresses, sometimes a little jarringly in what can feel like one story thread too many. The central narrative remains strong through however, and particular highlights are Estelle Cousins’ portrayal of Ringelblum’s wife Yehudis and Ashleigh Schuman as Ringelblum’s son Uri, who both work wonderfully to give real grit to the Ringelblum family in the midst of the slow destruction of Warsaw’s Jews.

Because after all, this is ultimately a show about the destruction of a people, of their lives, their humanity, their homes and, very nearly, their history. Its lessons are therefore as relevant today as they have ever been.

NOT EVEN THE DOGS at The Old Red Lion Theatre 16th-20th January 2024

Box office: https://www.oldredliontheatre.co.uk/not-even-the-dogs.html

Written and Directed by Josh Baumring-Gledhill and Josh Myers

Produced by The Counterminers (Ella McQueen and Lew Forman)

Lighting Design by Evie Chandler

Reviewed by Harry Conway