HERE THERE ARE HORRORS
Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich’s Here There Are Blueberries, directed by Kaufman at Berkeley Rep, involves a fascinating true story. We are at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., where archivists study, document, and interpret Holocaust history—people often donate letters, photographs, and personal mementos from family members of that era. Told in documentary style, we know from the opening scene that this will be a serious and somber narrative.
Barbara Pitts (Judy Cohen & Others), Luke Forbes (Tilman Taube & Others),
and Delia Cunningham (Rebecca Erbelding & Others)
Auschwitz is the best known—and considered to be the most horrific—of the camps in German-occupied Poland. Approximately 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were murdered there by the Nazis. We’ve seen the pictures, documentaries, and films about this devastating period. Most of what we’ve come to know has been from the point of view of the victims.
Marrick Smith (Rainier Höss & Others)
But in 2007, the museum received an anonymous donation: a photo album from a former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. The album contained photos belonging to Karl Höcker, one of the officers who worked at Auschwitz. He was responsible for the day-to-day running of the camp. The photographs did not show prisoners. Instead, they depicted Karl and other camp officers in their leisure time—outdoor parties at the camp, relaxing at a retreat center built nearby for staff recreation.
Nemuna Ceesay (Charlotte Schünzel & Others) Scott Barrow (Karl Höcker & Others)
Among those pictured at a cookout were Rudolf Höss, one of the main commanders, and the infamous camp doctor, Josef Mengele, known for his sadistic medical experiments. Also appearing are the young female auxiliaries known as the SS Helferinnen, who worked clerical jobs in the offices. Few survivors even knew of their existence. Yet here they are, smiling, relaxed—seen enjoying bowls of fresh blueberries, which inspired the title of the play.
Delia Cunningham (Rebecca Erbelding & Others), Scott Barrow (Karl Höcker & Others)
The story unfolds in the research room of the U.S. Holocaust Museum. Rebecca Erbelding (played by Delia Cunningham in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner) is the archivist who received the photo album. She narrates most of the play, while her colleagues contribute additional details. The ensemble also portrays other characters in flashback scenes.
Marrick Smith (Rainier Höss & Others)
The cast gives credible, grounded performances, but this is a production where the subject matter and the photos take center stage (Projection Design by David Bengali; Dramaturgy by Leigh Fondakowski). The juxtaposition of Nazi officers living ordinary, even joyful, lives during their off-duty hours—against the backdrop of mass murder—is nothing short of chilling. Interviews with descendants of those pictured offer no real comfort; many insist that their relatives were “just doing their jobs,” particularly the female office workers who claim they were unaware of the horrors taking place around them.
Barbara Pitts (Judy Cohen & Others), Jeanne Sakata (Melita Maschmann & Others),
and Delia Cunningham (Rebecca Erbelding & Others)
The Oscar-nominated 2023 film The Zone of Interest similarly depicted a Nazi officer’s family enjoying cookouts and gardening behind the high walls of their home, seemingly oblivious to the smokestacks and sirens mere yards away. The metaphors are stark—and uncomfortably resonant. In the U.S. today, where 34% of Americans didn’t vote in the last election and key democratic guardrails are eroding, the parallels are hard to ignore.
Grant James Varjas (Peter Wirths & Others), Luke Forbes (Tilman Taube & Others)
By framing the piece as a documentary, Kaufman powerfully conveys the moral complexity of Auschwitz—not just its cruelty, but the broader danger of complicity. A 2024 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Here There Are Blueberries is more than a play—it’s a warning. It reminds us that history doesn’t always scream; sometimes, it smiles for the camera. And if we’re not paying attention, we won’t even notice it repeating.
Marrick Smith (Rainier Höss & Others)
photos by Kevin Parry Photography
Here There Are Blueberries
Tectonic Theater Project
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison Street @ Shattuck
ends on May 11, 2025
for tickets ($25–$134), call 510.647.2949 or visit Berkeley Rep
