Review: Mrs Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library, Traverse Theatre

Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time? Mrs Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library explores what happens when you are, and the disastrous consequences that follow, in this sharp, tense and well-acted play. 

The play, written by Jenny Lyn Bader, is based on a true story. It follows the philosopher Hannah Arendt, played by Ella Kaille, who was captured with her mother by the Gestapo on a street in Berlin in 1933, and held in prison for eight days. Hannah was reported by a librarian for copying antisemitic cartoons and statements to distribute abroad, illegal under martial law. 

The officer who interrogates her is Karl (Brett Temple). He is young and seemingly inexperienced; having only been promoted to the political department several days prior to the arrest. But Hannah knows not to underestimate him. Both actors play this dynamic well, with glances to the side, pauses and subtle shifts in expression. Throughout, the power balance shifts and the audience is kept guessing as to who is really in control. 

The questioning takes place in a cell, which the Traverse 2 lends itself nicely to. The bare stage contains a few chairs and a table, which Karl constantly moves around the room out of nervousness. Hannah shows her anxieties by pacing and chain smoking. Fragments of cell windows hang from the ceiling, while at the back of the stage, in the centre, is part of a brick wall with a door that loudly locks whenever Karl leaves or enters the room. In the background, occasional cries from other prisoners are heard, underlining the jarring reality. 

There are many explanations given by Hannah for having copies of documents and for her presence in certain parts of the library. Whether it was a sequence of suspicious coincidences or a well thought out plan, the mystery lingers, leaving the audience mulling it over for days to come.

Written by Jenny Lyn Bader
Directed by Ari Laura Kreith

Mrs Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library plays at Traverse Theatre until Sunday 30 August as part of EdFringe 2026.