Emotive and harrowing: ‘The Pity of War’ repertory season

The Loft Theatre’s Pity of War season strives to show that the First World War was not ‘the war to end all wars’, and highlights the detrimental impact, both mental and physical, that warfare continues to have on individual soldiers to this very day. Produced to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War, the season is comprised of two one-act plays, each of which runs for approximately one hour, and is performed by the community-based Loft Theatre Company.

The messages conveyed by these two pieces remain relevant, and the poignant portrayal of wartime experience ensures that audience members take the harrowing stories presented onstage with them as they vacate the theatre. Playing in repertory in the Loft’s studio until 20^th October, Anthem for Doomed Youth and The Silence are both incredibly emotive pieces which do not shy away from the true horrors of war.

Both shows are incredibly emotive pieces which do not shy from the true horrors of war

Devised by David Fletcher, Anthem for Doomed Youth is based on the work of Wilfred Owen, one of the leading poets of the First World War. Poems and personal letters have been grafted seamlessly together with a selection of well-known wartime songs and hymns to illustrate Owen’s life and experience of battle in a poignant manner. The concept is inventive, and works very well in this short piece, mapping the experience of one soldier onto the memory of millions.

The piece is performed by a balanced and cohesive company of seven who deliver Owen’s words in an immensely creative and emotive way. The intimate studio space is used to great effect, with simple staging and powerful lighting design which is successful in conveying the illusion of trench warfare and gunfire. Full of flawless performances, Anthem for Doomed Youth is a fitting homage to the life and work of Wilfred Owen, and indeed a powerful commemoration of the experience of the First World War.

The concept is inventive, mapping the experience of one soldier onto the memory of millions

The Silence is a new play by Fletcher which, when performed in tandem with Anthem for Doomed Youth, highlights that warfare continues to bring trauma and suffering into the lives of those who survive it. Set in a military hospital in the immediate aftermath of the 1982 Falklands War, The Silence centres on an experienced counsellor Chris Mason (Phil Reynolds) as he is tasked with the treatment of Sergeant Matthew Williams (Michael Barker) who has not spoken a word since his return from the Islands.

Carried by three actors, the piece is dominated by conversations between the counsellor and his patient, in which the true horrors of war are brought to light. Conveyed in one short act, Mason’s sessions with Williams are shocking and often troubling. In spite of the long stretches of silence, the trio of performers do an excellent job of bringing Fletcher’s script to life. The story captivates from the opening lines, and lingers with them long after this heart-wrenching and thought-provoking piece has ended.

Despite their different settings, Anthem for Doomed Youth and The Silence work together cohesively to convey the horrific, and often irreversible, impact of war. As Fletcher himself writes, “two soldiers, two wars, 64 years apart, but the damage remains the same”. Both pieces, however, would be just as effective even if viewed in isolation. All performances are of exceptional quality, and create a direct connection between the story of war and the audience. The Pity of War season is a testament to the continued relevance of the First World War, and the many conflicts which have followed, to contemporary culture.

The Pity of War repertory season continues at the Loft Theatre until October 20. Tickets are available here.