Tag Archives: Archie Backhouse

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“Farm Hall” at the Jermyn Street Theatre

Playwright Katherine Moar has chosen a fascinating piece of history for an impressive debut. Farm Hall was the real-life location for a group of German physicists held by the Allies at the end of World War II. Great names with Nobel prizes galore were, politely, imprisoned in the country and their recorded conversations make for interesting theatre.

Carefully written and performed and expertly directed, Farm Hall is a traditional affair – there’s no avoiding that it’s a collection of (clever) talking heads. But Moar has done her research and her quest for nuance proves an invaluable asset. There’s also a reminder of Covid lockdown as these brilliant men are so bored! Bickering against a background of having been enemies in Germany, they are far from united in defeat.

Including the group’s amateur dramatics and sing-songs is a smart touch. But what really impresses is how director Stephen Unwin allows the structure of the scenes to flourish. After a surprisingly light start, personal dramas are balanced by abstract questions, and flipping between the two provides dynamism. Moral dilemmas don’t come bigger than those these men faced. Yet the play’s best bits emerge from individual circumstances.

Bringing to the stage six big characters leads to understandable shortcuts from Moar, but the performances smooth over any clunky exposition. I did wonder if the “impenetrable” Werner Heisenberg might be the star of the script? The theoretical physicist has appealed to dramatists before and Alan Cox’s performance in the role is certainly commanding.

Archie-Backhouse-in-Farm-Hall-at-the-Jermyn-Street-Theatre-credit-Alex-Brenner
Archie Backhouse

The question of Heisenberg’s role in Germany’s failure to make an atom bomb looms over the play – it isn’t given enough time to become a focus. But the piece benefits as a whole. Heisenberg’s students, Erich Bagge and Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, prove powerful figures. The latter is an odd dandy, made intriguing by Daniel Boyd’s layered performance. Archie Backhouse’s Bagge brings the most overt emotion to the play – excellent work.

There’s a further trio to enjoy. Kurt Diebner is a less apologetic Nazi and full-on oddball that Julius D’Silva manages to make us warm too – how’s that for an achievement? His opponent, Max von Laue, is given great dignity by David Yelland, while Forbes Masson’s placatory Otto Hahn gives a similarly detailed performance. Placing the biggest weight of guilt on this seemingly sweet man is a highlight.

Moar deserves credit for opening up so many themes. Of course, the men discuss their war, but general ideas about cooperation and competition are neatly pulled out alongside plenty of politics. Farm Hall is sure to prompt after-show discussions. And who doesn’t like that? But stripping back the men behind the science is the key to making the play engaging. And it’s the sextet of performers who guarantee the show’s success.

Until 8 April 2022

www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk

Photo by Alex Brenner

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"Hunger" at the Arcola Theatre

This adaptation of Knut Hamsun’s 1890 novel has clever moves and clear decisions. As we follow its starving character, a student and writer who struggles as a “loser and misfit” in a big city, the direction from Fay Lomas has smart touches. The staging is inventive, the design by Anna Kezia Williams and Rajiv Pattani well used, while tight choreography creates considerable momentum. Pain is effectively portrayed, and highlighting the mental health problems that arise from malnutrition proves enlightening. A case that this tale of a down-and-out could occur any time and any place is obviously the point. Lomas works to show just that – and it’s a job well done.

There’s no doubt the piece serves as a brilliant showcase for a talented quartet of performers. Archie Backhouse, Katie Eldred and Jessica Tomlinson act as the population of a whole town; they cannot fail to impress as you lose count of the ages and accents depicted. They even manage to make a few named characters vivid, despite the brevity of the roles. With the unnamed lead, Hunger makes an exciting vehicle for Kwami Odoom who brings a great presence to the stage and intelligent responses to his task. It’s a thrill for the audience too – there’s a sense of seeing a big talent for the first time and the hope we’ll be able to boast about it one day!

Kwami Odoom in Hunger at the Arcola Theatre photographed by Alex Brenner
Kwami Odoom

Much of the production’s clarity comes from Amanda Lomas’s adaptation. For a plotless novel that explores psychology through a first-person narrative, her decisions seem sensible, if conservative. Unlike Hamsun, Lomas provides a hero for us to focus on – the play’s lead is far more sympathetic than in the book. The most distressing and controversial scenes are passed over: the character chews on orange peel rather than a bone and his relations with women are made less problematic. We’re given more background, a sense of his age and a more carefully chartered descent into poverty that work well dramatically and serve a broadly political purpose.

Lomas has created a more even experience than that of reading the book. She has an eye on an audience rather than an existential axe to grind. Hamsun was obsessed with pride and religion – both have a small part here as they don’t fit with the programme. And it has to be admitted that there’s a disappointing lack of intensity for a novel famed for just that quality. The character’s ego and his rants against God end up a little lost. Thankfully, it’s possible to argue that the production’s aims are served by toning both down. We’re presented with a story about poverty made universal and powerful by theatre makers with a strong sense of purpose.

Until 21 December 2019

www.arcolatheatre.com

Photos by Alex Brenner