Blue Remembered Hills

The Art Centre had been transformed yet again from its usual proscenium mini theatre into the groves and glades of the Forest of Dean in the early 1940’s. Children (Adults) were quietly at play as we were guided to our seats with bird song and dappled sunlight breaking through the leaves (Camouflage nets). Willie flew in, his imagination racing as he sailed through the skies in his imaginary plane, bombing his enemies and exuding blood by the bucket full. The childlike physicality and role play of innocence along with wartime horror was captured by his antics and he was soon joined by the others in brawls, mummies and daddies and one up man ship. But this piece is not about the fun of childhood games, it has a darker side; Peter the bully bringing violence and clouds into the sunny glade, with a thirst to be number one and a hidden reason for his unsettled nature. This actor rarely seen in a serious piece captured his self-loathing with concentrated skill, supported by his best mate Willie a confident and skilled performer they set the opening sequences and hidden fears with sincerity. Poor sweet Donald, his Daddy far away and his mother’s neglect making him vulnerable and lost was played beautifully, by this point the audience were forgetting the fact that these actors were fully grown adults and a stillness and feeling of dread filled the auditorium. This was a true company piece each actor taking their role and creating a believable childlike quality. Emotionally and physically challenging the closing sequence left the audience in stunned silence, quite an achievement. Paul Smith can justifiably be proud of this production, the company has grown in strength over the last few years and Blue Remembered Hills will certainly remain in the memory for a long time. Congratulations to everyone involved a high quality piece of theatre performed in a small town in Somerset worthy of much, much more. 

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