OBSERVE THE SONS OF ULSTER MARCHING TOWARDS THE SOMME. To 28 April.
London
OBSERVE THE SONS OF ULSTER MARCHING TOWARDS THE SOMME
by Frank McGuinness
Jericho Productions at The Pleasance Theatre to 28 April 2002
Tues-Sat 8pm Sun 6pm Mats 18, 25 April 2pm
Runs 2hr 30min One interval
TICKETS 020 7609 1800
Review Peter Kinsey 9 April
Love (and hate) of dear comrades in a timely, powerful and thought-provoking revival During the Great War, love, friendship, and the occasional understanding emerge in the lives of eight Ulster soldiers, despite the union of violence and religion that is an invariable part of their lives.
Kenneth Pyper - a strong, prickly and brooding performance from Nicholas Sidi - is the odd one out among the eight, and the only one that will survive the slaughter of the Somme. The action is framed by the old Kenneth; at the start he stands among his comrades (including his younger self) and at the end he re-appears to confront his past self again. It's an effective device, preventing any complacent or sentimental resolution to the play and reminding us of its present relevance. Doyne Bird, as the older man, sets up this poetic and enigmatic prologue well. And the rest of the cast carry the mood through with sharp, firmly-characterised and committed playing.
We meet the eight men three times: their first meeting, first leave and the night before the final battle. As these scenes unfold, life around them becomes even more grim, yet in contrast their feelings for each other open up. This is skilfully reflected in set, lighting and costume. From the abstract, almost austere, emptiness of the opening, unrelieved by much colour, by the third scene we eventually see a pink sky grow and intensify behind the men's trench and watch them go into battle, each dull khaki tunic enlivened by an orange sash around the neck.
James Phillips' direction is clear and detailed, the action moving quickly (cueing in the first scene is very crisp), but it's also halted memorably by moments of great stillness, notably in the opening of the last scene. The soldiers sleep as dawn breaks, huddled together in their trench: a Paul Nash canvas.
This is a disturbing and moving night in the theatre, yet not without humanity and humour – as in the frequent banter between the men culminating in their hilarious re-play of the Battle of the Boyne.
Another interval, between the first two scenes, could have injected more contrasting lightness, and time for reflection. Nevertheless, we are engaged throughout, and left, like Kenneth Pyper, searching for answers on the banks of the Somme.
Kenneth Pyper, as an old man: Doyne Bird
Kenneth Pyper, as a young man: Nicholas Sidi
David Craig: Robin Pearce
George Anderson: Alex Humes
Nat McIlwaine: Tony Devlin
Christopher Roulston: Gregory Fox-Murphy
Martin Crawford: David Rolston
William Moore; Jonjo O'Neill
John Millen: Dominic McHale
Director: James Phillips
Design: David Farley
Lighting: Guy Hoare
Sound: Neil Alexander
Costume: Ashley Holtom
2002-04-13 10:34:27