Playing with Power

Throughout our process our initial idea of incorporating political speeches into our performance was something that I felt as a director, would be a challenge. Yet exploring the theme of ‘power’ is something that has so many outlets; for example indoctrination and facism, especially in the case of Adolf Hitler. Speeches I also studied in relation with power were Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’, yet reading Hitler’s speech out of the context of Nazi Germany seems to have a much more profound and eery effect given the content of his speech.

Because of the controversial content of what Hitler’s speech delivers, the most effective way to incorporate this speech was to contrast the sinister and indoctrination with a form of innocence and youth to really hone in on the words that are spoken. I was able to film my 6 year old cousin speaking a section of Hitler’s speech from January 30 1941, exactly 8 years after the Nazi’s achieved power.

The result of this 6 year old Aryan looking child (bringing connotations with the Hitler Youth) will hopefully create a sense of omnipotence and reflection upon hearing these powerful and manipulating words being spoken by a young child.