About This Show

Classic Stage Company presents the world premiere of I Will Bear Witness by Victor Klemperer, adapted by George Bartenieff and Karen Malpede. For all the twelve years of the Third Reich, Klemperer, a German Jew, was allowed to remain in Germany and was never deported thanks to a loophole in the law that allowed spouses of Germans to remain. During this time, Klemperer kept a secret diary. He recorded in meticulous detail the humiliations and insults, absurdities and brutalities of a civilized society sliding into barbarism. These deeply personal and stunningly vivid diaries–published in English last year to universal acclaim–are transformed into a riveting solo performance starring Bartenieff, and directed by Malpede.

There is a series of post-performance discussions with cast and artistic staff on the following Mondays: February 26, March 5, and March 12, as well as Tuesday, March 20 at 9:15pm. Symposia with leading academic experts and thinkers from fields outside the theater are held on Sundays March 10 and 25 at 3:15pm.

Show Details

Dates: Opening Night: March 11, 2001 Final Performance: April 1, 2001