The Pianist

A harrowing and emotionally turbulent play documented the six-year struggle of Szpilman, a professional pianist, throughout the Second World War. Beautifully performed, the music of the piano echoed the unfeigned agony that Szpilman and many Polish Jews experienced.

In performances like this, either the music or the speech overshadows the other, but in this case they were equally matched. The piano music acted as a complementary force rather than merely a device to create mood.

By Rebecca Lupton