Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh
4 stars
Life is a cabaret for Leni Riefenstahl in Gil Kofman’s solo play, in which Hitler’s favourite filmmaker takes the stage for one last hurrah to tell her story. As embodied by Jodie Markell in Richard Caliban’s production for New York’s Brave New World Repertory Theatre, here Leni vamps it up like some Weimar diva with the countenance of a mid period Fassbinder heroine by way of a last gasp Nico.
As some of her greatest hits beam out behind her, Leni’s yarns include the one about how Hitler became afflicted with tennis elbow, and just how much of a mark her propagandist opus Triumph of the Will left on Star Wars.
No slouch in making a song and dance of things, and accompanied on accordion, violin and percussion by Spiff Wigand, Markell’s Leni makes numbers by Melanie, Tom Waits and Mary Hopkin her own. There’s also the chance to become an extra in her final movie. Just watch where you put those arms, mind, as Leni prepares for her ultimate finale. Those were the days, my friend, and, as the final image makes clear, it looks like they’re already making a comeback.
Assembly Rooms until 25th August, 5.25pm
The List, August 2024
ends
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