Geraldine Alexander stars in the UK premiere of Here There Are Blueberries at Stratford East, a powerful play conceived and directed by Moisés Kaufman. This acclaimed work explores the shocking truth behind a mysterious Nazi-era photo album and its impact on our understanding of history and humanity.
Following several award-winning runs in the US, including being a Pulitzer Prize finalist, the play now comes to London as part of Stratford East’s 2026 season under Artistic Director Lisa Spirling. Geraldine shares insights into the production and its relevance today.
Performances run from 31 January to 28 February 2026 at Stratford East. Book tickets here.
You’re starring in Here There Are Blueberries at Stratford East. What can you tell us about the show?
It’s a story that begins with the donation of an album to the Holocaust Memorial Museum and sparks an exploration into the album’s origins and its owner.
The design is integral to the show, telling the story along with the actors, and could only exist in the theatre.
It asks questions like: who would we be in this story, and what would we do in these circumstances?
What drew you to this project and the role you’re playing?
The play and the company drew me. Tectonic has made innovative and groundbreaking theatre, The Laramie Project in particular.
They are persistent in asking questions, challenging the status quo, and developing projects over a long period of time. I was intrigued and keen to work with Moisés and his team.
The fact that we would be performing at Stratford East, with its iconic pedigree, was also a huge draw.
I play Judy Cohen, who is the Director of the Photography Collection at the Holocaust Memorial Museum. You only meet her through her work, and her work is fascinating.
Her dedication and pursuit of the facts make me want to live up to her as a performer.
The play is based on real events and historical photographs. How did that influence your approach to the character?
Unlike most plays, where actors’ time is often spent digging into research and a character’s backstory, in Here There Are Blueberries the play is the research.
Although we honour the characters, we are not being them – we are archivists sharing a quest to learn more about the album.
It’s been a very different process for me, and one I’m finding quite liberating. It’s storytelling, and it allows us to switch characters when the story requires it.
This production has already received critical acclaim in the US. How does it feel to bring it to UK audiences for the first time?
It feels exciting.
I feel like the play keeps growing, and we are part of its evolution.
The subject matter is powerful and challenging. How do you prepare emotionally for a piece like this?
We talked about this at the beginning, and there’s a structure of care and support in place.
The characters we play, the archivists in the museum, support each other, as we do as actors and as a company.
We laugh a lot.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Here There Are Blueberries?
You will be taken on a journey with us.
It’s like a thriller, full of surprises and shocks. It’s a chance to all sit in a theatre together and share an experience that, as well as examining the people in the album, turns the lens on us too.
Come.
