Gail Louw

Blonde Poison

Gail Louw

Blonde Poison is based on the true story of a Jewish woman during World War II who betrayed up to 3,000 fellow Jews. Gail Louw’s powerful play examines the motivation of evil. Stella Goldschlag was living illegally in war-torn Berlin when she herself was betrayed and tortured. When offered the chance of saving herself and her parents from the death camps, she agreed to be a ‘Greifer’ for the Gestapo and inform on Jews in hiding. She was extraordinarily successful in this and her activities increased after her parents had finally been deported. The vast dimensions of Stella’s character range from tortured victim to cruel killer, from loving daughter to betrayer of friends, from gentle lover to depraved promiscuity. She was given the name ‘Blonde Poison’ by the Gestapo who revelled in her treachery. Decades after the war Stella agrees to be interviewed by a well-respected journalist – her last chance for redemption. Can she ever be released from her past?

Gail Louw: Collected Plays

Gail Louw

BLONDE POISON Stella Goldschlag, a Jewish woman living illegally in war-torn Berlin, is betrayed and tortured. When offered the chance of saving herself and her parents from the death camps, she agrees to be a ‘Greifer’ for the Gestapo and inform on Jews in hiding. Decades after the war Stella agrees to be interviewed by a well-respected journalist – her last chance for redemption. Can she ever be released from her past? Blonde Poison was the winner of an Argus Angel Award for artistic excellence (Brighton Festival 2012) . MISS DIETRICH REGRETS A moving two hander which depicts the end of Marlene’s life, now a recluse within the confines of her bedroom. Her daughter, Maria, has tried unsuccessfully to move her to a care home, but Dietrich believes this will destroy the glamorous femme fatale image that she has fought so long to preserve. SHACKLETON’S CARPENTER Shackleton’s ship, Endurance, sank in Antarctica, leaving him and his crew of 27 stranded. Harry McNish, Shackleton’s carpenter and brilliant shipwright, challenged The Boss, but went all the way with him, ensuring all lives were saved after a journey universally agreed to be the most astonishing voyage of survival in history. What was it that caused this man to antagonise the hero of Antarctica? How does he come to terms with it now, alone and destitute on the wharfs of Wellington, New Zealand. TWO SISTERS Is it possible to lose your innocence at 70? Rika and Edith, close and caring sisters, finally discover the truth about their past. Can they adapt or will they now, after all these years, become strangers? This heartwarming play reveals the sweetness and sadness of journeys through lives that are inextricably entwined.