Keep the Home Fires Burning/PVT. Wars

At a time when the Government is contemplating getting involved in more conflict overseas and the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War is looming, these two pieces of theatre brought home very strongly the horror of any such involvement and the after effects on those taking part. Manor Theatre must be congratulated on putting together two such different plays, the first set over an extended period of time from 1918 to the present day and the second sometime in the late 1940s.

Keep the Home Fires Burning.

Evelyn (Laine Watson) close on 100 years of age, sits surrounded by mementoes and love letters from her long dead beau Charles (Craig Bunce). She is being cared for by Sarah (Anna Bird) an unfeeling young woman who has no conception of Evelyn’s past life having never married after losing the love of her life at the end of the war. The audience is then taken through the horrors of being in the trenches and the inhuman sacrifices demanded of so many including Charles’s great friend Joseph (Julian Tiley) who is obviously suffering from stress. Joseph’s girlfriend Ida (Kate Smith) has volunteered as a nurse, to be near him, but was totally unprepared for what she was expected to do or see at the front. Nurse Elizabeth (Debra Thurley) takes her under her wing and together they cope with the endless string of casualties. Sergeant Smith (Roger Kidd), Lance Corporal Church (Andy Bates) and Captain Allenby (John Oade) between them brought home forcibly the power and lack of understanding of the military at that time whilst back home young Evelyn (Suzanne Page) read the letters from her intended and wept for her loss.

This was brilliantly written and directed by Suzanne with very well chosen music and a great opening rendition of ‘Keep the Home Fires Burning’ sung by Debra Thurley. The whole production was exceptional, the set cleverly arranged, the Props and Costumes outstanding and sound and lighting so realistic. The audience were so involved with what they saw that they forgot to applaud until the final curtain closure. What more can I say!!

PVT. Wars

This play was in complete contrast being set in a ‘mental home’ hospice for American veterans suffering from ‘battle fatigue’ after Vietnam or similar conflicts. The three men Natwick, (Dennis Manning) Silvio (Cai Jones) and Woodruff Gately (Jonathan Hope) were very different and so superbly performed that they held the audience’s attention for just on an hour with nothing more than a table and chairs and a few hand props. Natwich was nervous, hands clenching and unclenching having difficulty finishing a sentence obviously nearing breaking point. Silvio in contrast, bounced about the stage like a coiled spring, desperate to leave the home and convinced he was God’s gift to the female sex. Woodruff hardly moved from his chair where he sat rebuilding a wireless set, stoically endearing, determined to complete the one project that one felt he might do for the rest of his life. They all maintained their American accents throughout.  The whole play was cleverly set with relevant recorded spoken lines played between each scene. This was another winner for Manor Theatre. A brilliant evening.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.