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Letters encouraging members of the Scholl family, ripped apart by World War II, and the courage of two siblings to stand up against the atrocities being committed in their native Germany are the crux of Stars in a Dark Sky by R.E.Vickers.

Melanie Moyer Williams directs this true story, narrated by Inge (Annie Keating), assisted by projected photos and video clips. The rest is told mostly through the reading of letters and journal entries by Inge’s siblings, Sophie (Dana Berger), Hans (Walker Hare) and Werner (Nathan Johnson). Werner, forced to serve in the military, writes about the horrors he sees. Sophie and Hans, honoring their father’s entreaty to pursue freedom of spirit despite the difficulty, secretly publish anti-Hitler pamphlets.

The family’s story is compelling, as is Sophie’s unending ability to find beauty amidst the ugliness, but the constant reading becomes tedious. Some dramatic interaction between characters would enliven the long, uninterrupted soliloquies which seem difficult for Hare in particular, and give the piece a chance to shine instead of feel like an hour-and-40-minute history lesson.

---- Lauren Yarger

Presented by Red Fern Theatre Company in association with LIME ROCK PRESS as part of The New York International Fringe Festival at THEATRE 80, 80 St. Mark’s Place., NYC. [remaining performances Aug. 22 7:00p.m.; Aug. 23 9:00p.m.; Aug. 24 noon]
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