Elite Reviews from InD'tale Magazine

Reviewed by: Chelsea Andersen

Primo: Auschwitz through the lens of time

Ed Davidson Genre: Historical

In 1987, famous author and holocaust survivor, Primo Levy fell down the stairs of his home and unfortunately passed away. That last day of his life is the beginning of this powerful stage play: a fictitious reimagining of the final moments of his life. Take a trip through time as Primo re-lives some of the most terrible experiences of his life. Through this voyage, particularly his time at Auschwitz, he will reexamine what remains of his humanity and find the answer to one that plagues almost all people: was his life enough? Did his work make a difference? Could he have done something better?

“Primo” is an emotional and powerful experience that reminds one of the depth of the human soul and what it takes to break it. Forever haunted by his past life in the concentration camp Auschwitz, during World War II, Primo finds himself reliving certain events in full on his last day of life. Mr. Davidson captures this beautifully, seamlessly interweaving flashbacks with Primo’s present. A rollercoaster of emotions takes place over the course of this play. Each trip back in time is impactful and well chosen. Some are disturbing, reminding listeners of the horrors of the holocaust. Listeners will be left thinking about “Primo” long after it is over and will leave them questioning and reevaluating their own lives.

All of the actors present have strong performances! Each connects with their character and the events taking place in the scene, adding to the drama and intensity of the emotions they are experiencing. The whole production is well timed, having the perfect length for the content and good pacing. There’s some light music incorporated with scene breaks that help build the atmosphere, and a few stage sound effects are used tastefully that add to the fullness of the production. This is a great listen for lovers of history!

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Readers' Favorite 5-star Review

Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers’ Favorite

Primo: Auschwitz Through the Lens of Time by Ed Davidson, is an account of a man’s life in a concentration camp. The story is a one-act play in audiobook format. Davidson tells the story by setting it in both 1944, when the protagonist, Primo, was in the camp, and 1987, shortly before he died, switching back and forth between the two times. Primo is a well-known Jewish-Italian writer. Davidson shows what life in a concentration camp was like for Primo as he and his fellow prisoners were beaten, worked to exhaustion, and often killed by the Nazis. Frequent reference is made to the crematories in the camp. A cast of five actors tells the story. The play contains both curse words and violence.

Primo by Ed Davidson is captivating, and by setting the play in both 1944 and 1987, he shows viewers not only how horrendously the prisoners were treated but how the experiences affected them for the rest of their lives. The coarse language, although frequent, is never gratuitous; it is a necessary part of the story. We must never forget the Holocaust and the horrors of Nazism, and this superb play will help new generations to remember. The play deserves to be performed widely to large audiences, especially younger people far removed from the war. I highly recommend it to all audiences.

Primo is an audiobook, and the actors did a superb job. Their voices were clear and always understandable. They showed just the right amount of emotion in depicting the horrors of the camp.

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Goodreads Review

Reviewed by: Dawn (1,489 reviews)

January 30, 2023

I chose to listen to this audioplay after receiving a free audio copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I’ve never listened to a play before, so the experience was a little different. The narrator explains the scene and the set up on the stage so that the reader can visualize it. It is then mostly the characters speaking with the narrator explaining movements. It works well. I’ve been to a few plays, and I could imagine being there.

I’ve always been interested in and horrified by the Holocaust, especially since it happened just a few years before I was born. I think that my grandmother being best friends with my “Aunt” Sally made it more real for me. When I did learn about the concentration camps, I couldn’t believe it.

Primo not only describes the horrors that people went through, but the devastating effects it had on the survivors. Even though the characters in the concentration camp weren’t fully developed, it brought tears to my eyes several times, which means to me it’s effective and worth a listen. And now I must add Primo Levi’s autobiography to my TBR list.