Post by marion on Jun 23, 2022 8:14:47 GMT
To Richmond yesterday to see this play based on the book by Michael Morpurgo. Set in the Great War with flashbacks to childhood, it tells of the Peaceful brothers who join up in 1914, one aged 19 and one posing as his twin aged 15. Obviously it isn’t going to be a barrel of laughs, and it’s also fair to say this is no War Horse. There is a cast of 7 who apart from the two principals play a variety of roles, seamlessly. The staging was simple but effective and the acting was very good, and there was also a twist.
The main negative of the visit was that the audience was 80% school parties, the majority of whom were pre-teens, and who just treated it as they would a pantomime. The racket at times was unbelievable and yes, I may have shouted “Be Quiet!” at one point 🤭. In fact when a list of charges was read out, I couldn’t hear a word so had no idea what the character in question was supposed to have done. They did applaud enthusiastically at the end though so some of it must have sunk in. I felt a bit sorry for the actors, especially in the more serious bits, but maybe they are used to it because it was clearly marketed for a young audience as well. There is one scene where the kids go swimming and they talk about taking their clothes off: well that caused an eruption! As did any fart references.
The main negative of the visit was that the audience was 80% school parties, the majority of whom were pre-teens, and who just treated it as they would a pantomime. The racket at times was unbelievable and yes, I may have shouted “Be Quiet!” at one point 🤭. In fact when a list of charges was read out, I couldn’t hear a word so had no idea what the character in question was supposed to have done. They did applaud enthusiastically at the end though so some of it must have sunk in. I felt a bit sorry for the actors, especially in the more serious bits, but maybe they are used to it because it was clearly marketed for a young audience as well. There is one scene where the kids go swimming and they talk about taking their clothes off: well that caused an eruption! As did any fart references.
Anymore to come?
