CFF25: ELEANOR’S STORY: LIFE AFTER WAR Review

ELEANOR’S STORY: LIFE AFTER WAR presented by Ingrid Garner as part of the 2025 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. 

★★★★★ “A complete, stand-alone epic.” —Fringe Feed. Ingrid Garner, 16X award-winning creator of “Eleanor’s Story: An American Girl In Hitler’s Germany”, delivers a fascinating sequel to her grandmother’s acclaimed memoir. After surviving WWII caught in Berlin, Eleanor struggles to navigate U.S. high school while haunted by war trauma.

I was thoroughly impressed with Garner’s first Cincy Fringe show last year. When I read that she was returning in 2025, I made seeing this one a priority, and again she does not disappoint.

While this sequel is a continuation of Ingrid’s grandmother’s story, it is a complete show that does not require you to see the first.

Garner’s performance is nearly flawless, as she deftly portrays multiple characters, each with their own body language and speaking cadence. Not only is the story compelling, but it is also a timely reminder about being on the right side of history.

Overall, an impressive performer who embodies a young woman’s unique perspective of World War II.

Three performances remain at the Sanctuary at First Lutheran Church:

• Thu, June 5 at 7pm
• Sat, June 7 at 7pm
• Sun, June 8 at 4:15pm