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Barbara Loots
BLONDE POISON, currently onstage at the Baxter Theatre's Studio until 29 June 2024, is observational theatre inspired by the historically unlikeable character of Stella Goldschlag, who during WWII betrayed up to 3000 of her fellow Jews to the German Gestapo. Fiona Ramsay steps into the shoes of Stella in this one-person play by Gail Louw, under the direction of Fred Abrahamse.
BLONDE POISON is informative. It presents an important talking point, especially given the current state of the world, but importance and especially historic importance does not automatically catapult a play to theatrical success. Unfortunately, many (both industry and patrons) have somehow fallen into the trap of lauding applause on pieces simply because of the thematic relevance as opposed to its theatrical impact. Importance is not the yardstick against which the value of a theatre ticket should be measured. Don’t get me wrong, important themes can be theatrically moving too, it just does not follow automatically that important theatre is good theatre.
Why am I harping on about historical importance? Well, Gail Louw’s BLONDE POISON is set in the time of the Holocaust. It is inspired by the true story of Stella Goldschlag who herself, after being betrayed and tortured, started working as an informant to help the Germans catch Jews in hiding. She turned against her own people to protect herself and her parents in an apparent attempt at self-preservation, though she continued aiding the Germans even after her parents were eventually sent to the camps. Stella professed that with her Aryan appearance she was given the opportunity to pass herself off as non-Jewish, which was an identity she actively pursued.
The play is supposed to present a chilling, or at minimum, intense story informed by true life events, yet the story itself left me unmoved. It would have been more successful if the overall structure made me feel an ounce of empathy for the narcissist at the centre of it, but thr script doesn't create any real space for an audience to connect with the flawed character. It’s more history lesson than it is theatrical offering.
In the current staging, the paired back set by Marcel Meyer strikingly places Stella with a foot in both worlds: her orderly whitewashed lifestyle on the one side, and on the other the one in which she was forced to hide in poverty and squalor as an outlaw in her own country. The direction by Fred Abrahamse is clear, and the performance by Fiona Ramsay outstanding.
Where BLONDE POISON falls short is the underpinning text, as an actor and creative team can only do so much to elevate a script.
BLONDE POISON loses momentum in the way the text builds the narrative. It lacks clear direction in where it is going at times. It has too many focal points in the presentation of Stella's "defence" of her actions: Is she haunted by her estranged daughter? Is she engaging with a journalist from her past? Is she standing trial? These are all good structural ideas through which to reveal Stella’s story, but using them all, instead of simply choosing one for such exploration, inhibits the development of a natural narrative flow. Because there are so many angles revealed to manipulate you into caring for Stella, without the space for any one such trick to be fully rooted and developed, you end up feeling nothing for her as a self-involved, broken human being.
Why BLONDE POISON gets away with not having a clear focus and only fleetingly touching on who Stella was as an historic figure, is because of that little trap of “important” theatre. I am willing to bet that you will encounter many people who will praise the play for its relevance and Ramsay’s performance. With the latter, I am in full agreement. The former you can find in a history book. If a play doesn’t move you beyond what you can find with a quick Google of “Stella Goldschlag” it doesn’t meet the theatrical standard required of a good script. Where’s the innovation? Where’s the real character development that makes Stella jump off the history pages and confront an audience with her heartbreaking story of betrayal?
Louw’s text only scratched at the surface of a truly interesting and generally unlikable character. There are so many layers that beg to be interrogated in the story of Stella, an opportunity missed in BLONDE POISON.
Apart from my qualms with the text, the production value of the current staging at the Baxter Theatre is of a high standard. Everyone involved stretches the play to its absolute limits and must be applauded for that.
The conclusion? Louw’s play is interesting, informative, monotonous and leaves her character emotionally stinted. The text sacrifices character development on the altar of importance. Ramsay does much to infuse charisma and some depth into the character of Stella: Her acting is superb, and her accent work flawless. She has an effortless stage presence. A technical masterclass. Ramsay adds a vivaciousness to a script that otherwise tones down the vibrancy of a clearly complex character. Similarly, the direction and design by Abrahamse and Meyer, respectively, do much to elevate to the play too.
Any Ramsay performance is a performance worth seeing. You have until 29 June 2024 to see Fiona Ramsay command the stage in BLONDE POISON at the Baxter Theatre’s Studio. Tickets are available for booking online through Webtickets.