The Trial of Klaus Barbie was written by original WorkShop member Fred Pezzulli, and is based on the actual trial held in France during the 1980’s. Manfred Bormann directs this powerful examination of the Nazi war criminal and how he came to justify the monstrous acts of cruelty perpetrated on German prisoners during World War Two. Barbie is not portrayed as an absolute villain, but instead, Pezzulli tries to understand what drove him to perpetrate the acts he committed and how he came to rationalize them in his own mind.
The WorkShop Theater Company will hold a special Talkback following the Friday, June 6th performance. Leading the discussion will be Barbara Propst Solomon, the U.S. cultural correspondent for El Pais and a professor at Sarah Lawrence. The talkback will be free for all who attend the 8pm performance. For information, please call 212-265-6845.