By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 17 October, opens 22 October and runs through 28 November 2026 RUNTIME: 130 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

This is the new musical version of the life of Polish-Jewish pianist Władysław Szpilman during World War 2, a story which won 3 Oscars in its 2002 celluloid incarnation starring Adrien Brody.

• Read on for reasons including how we’re here for monsta-longlisted star Daniel Krikler

We haven’t seen the film and so come fresh to a story about a talented musician playing live on the radio as Poland is invaded by the Nazis and comes under German occupation.

What we most enjoyed about this telling was how Szpilman’s family played instruments as members of the ensemble with Nitai Levi (The Holy Rosenbergs, Menier) as his disapproving brother Henryk and Rosalind Ford as his distraught mother particularly affecting.

The music is Szpilman’s with additional lyrics provided by 8 writers including Władysław’s son Andreas and it’s 11pm number Someday We Will Love Again which best sums up the optimism of this piece despite the inhumanity with which the Szpilmans are treated.

Writing in the programme, adapter/director Thom Sutherland says: ‘1 of the aspects of the production I am most excited to share is the music. Beyond the story that many people know, there exists a wealth of beautiful and often overlooked music composed by Szpilman himself.’

His compositions include orchestral works, concertos, piano pieces, music for radio plays and films, and some 500 songs many of which are still popular in Poland today.

We’re actually here though because Daniel Krikler, playing the lead role was so good in recent new musical Redcliffe at Southwark Playhouse. It’s longlisted for 4 monstas, our annual awards, with Krikler singled out as Best Supporting Theatre Actor.

Krikler plays piano and sings here all the time reminding of how he is 1 of London theatre’s most promising rising stars.

It’s the ensemble playing instruments in the same way as Olivier and monsta-winning The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (Ambassadors Theatre) which we find most moving though, particularly as Szpilman is parted from his family as they are driven off by lorry to an uncertain future.

But it’s not all doom and gloom and there are occasional moments of kindness particularly from unexpected quarters which help to alleviate the darkness at the heart of this moving musical.

The story of the Jewish ‘Polish Gershwin’ is blessed to have an actor as talented as Krikler at its centre.

The power of the music adds to the sense of injustice powering the emotion of this story of the ability of the human soul to survive even the most devastating of circumstances.

• Main pictures by via Facebook courtesy Park Theatre Tickets
• Have you seen a Daniel Krikler show before and what did you think of it? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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