Occasionally, maybe once a year, a production comes along that really raises the bar for local non-professional companies. This was that production for 2011.
Willis Hall's captivating play set in British Malaya in 1942 raises questions about war, and what it does to people. The characters are a cross section of British society at the time: a Welshman, a Scouser, a Scotsman, Londoner, Northerner, etc. This alone poses challenges for actors; performing with an accent is one thing but producing a convincing accent when the rest of the cast around you are each speaking completely different accents is quite a feat. This cast rose to the challenge admirably and though I'm sure the eagle-eared could have found the occasional slip I was very impressed by how well they all accomplished this. They also managed to avoid plying stereotypes and each came across as very real, and each very different characters. This meant most people in the audience could recognise ourselves in one or other of the characters, forcing us to imagine how we might act in their situation.
This of course adds to the poignancy when these very ordinary men are faced with the extraordinary circumstances of war. We watch them struggle to fit in together, cope with authority just as we would in their position. And then, when a Japanese prisoner stumbles into their midst, we watch them struggle with the realities of war, and the big question of the play: does everyone have it in them to kill a man?
There are no easy answers to be found in the play. The officers Mitchem and Johnstone find the decision to kill the prisoner and give their patrol a better change of survival easier to make. They are more experienced at war, hardened towards making these decisions. Peter French as Johnstone was scary and a bully with just the right amount of menace to be intimidating but managed to avoid playing the character as a snarling stereotype. Scott Nicholson had a difficult role as a likable Sergent Mitcham. His obvious concern for his men was apparent but he has still just harsh enough, keeping them in line with an authoritative tone.
What was really impressive about the acting performances was the actors' performances when they had long amounts of time on stage without any lines. At one point I glanced at Jay Rolfe, playing the young Private Whitaker, during a tense moment and his face was such a wonderful expression of wide-eyed fear I wanted to go on stage and give him a hug. Of course the actor who had to do the most of this silent acting was Andy K as the Japanese soldier. His shaking with fear when he was first captured was brilliant and he really made us sympathise with him right from his entrance.
Roberto Prestoni brought the energy and pace to the stage as the rebellious Private Bamforth. He coped particularly well with the period slang, putting across what he was saying even though we didn't always understand every word. He and Tony Bannister as a lovable private Evans both brought out the humour in the play and really made me laugh.
The costumes were excellent and had real attention to detail, down to chocolate squares wrapped in brown paper and realistic sweat patches (added, I am reliably informed, artificially). These and a simple but effective set gave this production a professional feel and I was so pleased the cast lived up to this presentation and gave such polished performances. There really were no weak links. Next time you get the chance to get involved with Breakfast Cat, or see their next production, make sure you jump at the chance.
Photograph by Vicky Walters.
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