Nachtland at the Young Vic

Can you separate art from the artist? It’s a frequently discussed question, and nowhere more so than when related to figures with a problematic history. In German playwright Marius von Mayenburg’s latest comedy Nachtland, it is posed in the context of Hitler’s juvenile artwork. While the play does make some strides to tackle the question, issues relating to underexplored ideas and flat caricatured characters prevent the central points from being explored sufficiently.

The plot is set just after the death of Nicola’s (Dorothea Myer-Bennett) and Philipp’s (John Heffernan) father. While tidying up his house, they discover a painting that might have been painted by Hitler himself, prompting the siblings to want to sell the artwork when they discover its value – much to the dismay of Philipp’s Jewish wife, Judith (Jenna Augen), who doesn’t want them to profit from it. But the siblings take no notice and get an evaluation from art historian Evamaria (Jane Horrocks), and finally attempt to sell it to rich collector Kahl (Angus Wright).

Naturally, there’s nothing wrong with caricatures – especially not in a comedy – but here, they come at the cost of nuance, with Judith’s arguments taking the form of a lecture on how the Holocaust renders it impossible to consider keeping the painting. The other characters, meanwhile, make few genuine arguments and are rather obvious Nazi caricatures – more obvious in the case of Evamaria and Kahl, but also in the disposition of the siblings, who emerge as closeted antisemites, with Philipp’s marriage to Judith being revealed as stemming from internalised guilt.

Director Patrick Marber’s realisation is apt with a set by Anna Fleischle, which looks sufficiently dilapidated, and some well-handled lighting by Richard Howell to tackle the many brief monologues. The actors, meanwhile make the best out of their occasionally stifled, moralising lines, and at times some of the humour is successful enough to generate a number of laughs.

But all this is too little to save the script from itself. While there is the basis of a good play here, at the moment, von Mayenburg’s central thesis is tackled with too much self-righteousness and frivolousness, and as a result of this, the show feels convoluted and preachy.

Michael Higgs
Images: Ellie Kurttz

Nachtland is at the Young Vic from 20^th February until 25^th April 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.