Forgotten Voices

Based on Max Arthur's non-fiction bestseller 'Forgotten Voices of the Great War'. We are in a room in the Imperial War Museum, dominated by a huge painting of the wounded and the dead of the Great War, four benches and one chair.

Enter Captain Peter Newton (Rupert Frazer) an Officer who survived the Great War, we then meet Kitty Proctor (Belinda Lang) widow. We discover they have just been interviewed about their memories about the First World War. Private Kidder Harris (Matthew Kelly) recognises immediately the presence of an officer and probably worse ex-sergeant Lawrence Todd (Timothy Woodward) he is the stereotypical idea of a soldier, square, erect, jutting jaw, slightly abrupt thanks to his hidden shyness. These characters discuss their experiences and feeling having recounted these tales before the survivors vanish for ever. We are 3/4 of the way through the play when another character enters, Private Joe Haines (Steven Crossley) happy, full of enthusiasm and obviously American.

The play is beautiful in its simplicity, which makes the many poignant moments even more startling.  The contrasting experiences, and yet numerous similarities, display the contrasts between the ranks and civilians living through the same war.

Some of the script is vividly descriptive and as all of these characters are built up of testimonies from those who actually lived through these experiences, are all the more disturbing.

Each actor gets so deeply into character we see the raw emotions come to the surface.

This play although not in the least light and fluffy has its humourous moments and is definitely one well worth going to see for the experience.

****

S

Fringe Programme Page No

191

Company

Assembly

Venue Name and Number

Assembly Music Hall  V 3

Dates and Times

2 to 27 August (not 14 )  12.00 to 13.30

Comedy 2007

Music 2007

Others 2007

Theatre 2007

Musicals 2007

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