PRIVATES ON PARADE. To 8 November.
Birmingham
PRIVATES ON PARADE: Peter Nichols.
Joint Yorkshire Playhouse / Birmingham Rep.
Birmingham Rep till 8 November BO 0121 236 4455
Runs 2h 50m, on interval
Review: Rod Dungate, Bham Rep, 24 October 2008
Surprisingly successful and engaging.
On the face of it PRIVATES ON PARADE is an odd play to revive - very much of its time (written in 1977) and dealing with a distant, little known war in Malaya (1948), though a war that ‘was never declared.’ So how does this play speak to us today? Is it that the Malaysian conflict that forms the backdrop is like, say, UK involvement in Afghanistan? I don’t think so - today we would expect a much grittier play - we’d want to smell the sweat, to taste the dust.
On watching Ian Brown’s vital production, the play succeeds because of its form. This is an ensemble play - actors sing, dance, play instruments; the actors’ teamwork parallels exactly the characters’ teamwork. That these characters are part of an entertainment corps and perform for us increases the feel-good factor. The play is an exemplar of the strength of the human spirit - for these are people who, for better or worse, whether they like what they’re doing or not, get on and do it as best they can. It’s our luxury in the audience to sit and contemplate whether they are too unquestioning, too much under the thumb of the establishment.
But Nichols’s play isn’t all sweetness and light. S-M Reg Drummond’s overt and Major Flack’s covert racism is hugely uncomfortable. Even more disquieting is the effect of the two non-speaking roles of Lee and Cheng - as Malaysians they are given no voice. So even though Nichols places the conflict in the background, you can’t really leave this production without considering present UK involvements abroad.
This is a strong company. Joe Alessi charmingly storms his way through the camp and slap as Acting Capt Teri Dennis and Thomas Padden gives a totally engaging performance as Corp Len Bonny - his understated performance draws you into the play’s world. David Ricardo-Pearce provides a charming and humorous naiveté as Private Flowers and works beautifully with Maria Lawson (Sylvia Morgan); their first half duet, Better Far Than Sitting This Life Out is terrific. Alan McMahon’s ability to imbue Major Flack with a ludicrous and myopic sense of self-seriousness is enviable.
Private Steven Flowers: David Ricardo-Pearce.
Corporal Len Bonny: Thomas Padden.
Acting Captain Terri Dennis: Joe Alessi.
Flight-sergeant Kevin Cartwright: Joe Fredericks.
Lance Corporal Charles Bishop: Matthew Woodyatt.
Leading Aircraftman Eric Young-Love: Jared Ashe.
Sylvia Morgan: Maria Lawson.
Sergeant-Major Reg Drummond: Jeffrey Harmer.
Lee: Johnny Ong.
Cheng: Peter Peralta.
Major Giles Flack: Alan McMahon.
Director: Ian Brown.
Designer: Mark Bailey.
Musical Director and Arranger: Sarah Travis.
Choreographer: Sam Spencer-Lane.
Lighting Designer: Jeanine Davies.
Sound Designer: Gary Dixon.
Casting Director: Kay Magson.
Assistant Director: Kathryn Ind.
2008-10-26 15:14:27