A beautifully crafted production of Owen Sheers anti-war play concludes Steve Davis in his review of Pink Mist at Hampton Hill Theatre.
Details
Venue: Hampton Hill Theatre
Dates & Times: 23rd October – 26th October 7.45 pm
Tickets: teddingtontheatreclub.org.uk
Our Verdict
That ‘War is Hell’ is a theme that has been explored in art extensively. From the poetry of Sassoon and Owen to the painting of Picasso to Edwin Starr’s 45 and many points in between. But rarely as engrossingly as in Owen Sheers verse play ‘Pink Mist’ currently playing at the intimate and comfortable Hampton Hill Theatre.
Arthur (David Shortland), Taff (Tom Cooper) and Hads (Jack Lumb) are school friends in Bristol whose lives revolve around dead-end jobs, drinking, pills and fighting on Friday nights. Arthur’s relationship with his girlfriend Gwen (Rebecca Tarry) is solid but marred by his lack of fulfilment. Taff’s relationship with his partner Lisa (Asha Gill) is steady and has produced a baby son. Hads, the youngest of the three lives at home with his mother Sarah (Helen Lowe).
Arthur joins up and inspires his two friends to do likewise. In quick order, they are on their way to Catterick for basic training and from there to Helmand Province in Afghanistan to fight ‘Terry’ Taliban. None of them come back undamaged.
The tale is expertly told with Owen Sheers affecting verse complemented by a heavily choreographed, but never stilted performance from the Teddington Theatre Club cast. The ensemble playing is excellent but anchored by the impressive central performance of Shortland as ‘King’ Arthur. Their efforts are helped by the simple set and minimal costume, comprising a multi-purpose bench, three helmets and, ominously, a wheelchair.
The fact that space is so uncomplicated means that the other elements, lighting (Mike Elgey) and sound (Harry Jacobs) have to be impeccable and they are. Stephen Hoper’s original music helps to set the mood and the other music in the production, mainly Bristol trip-hop and dubstep from the time by Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky and Pinch, helps to set the piece in time and place. The directors, Nigel Cole & Gita Singham-Willis, deserve huge credit for bringing all these elements together with a lightness of touch into such a rewarding whole.
The acronyms and language of war – IED, Blue on Blue, IDF, PTSD and Friendly Fire are there to obscure the full horrors of war. The term Pink Mist itself is basically the fine spray of a body exploding and colouring the world around it. This fine production allows no such concealment.
