ED2011 2/5 Reviews ED2011 Theatre Reviews

Voices (Café Society)

By | Published on Wednesday 31 August 2011

From the armchair of his lonely flat, amidst broken possessions, an old man recounts his harrowing experiences of WWII, the loss of his wife to breast cancer, and his harassment by local youths. Neglected by both his family and the authorities whose jargon he cannot comprehend, he leads an increasingly introspective life, dominated by rage and fear. A mournful tale, representative of the post-war suffering of many an ex-soldier, it assuredly deserves to be told. However, the soldier in this play is presented as so utterly stereotypical of a simple-minded, working-class Tommy that he becomes a crude caricature. What’s more, between his unrelieved self-pity and snatches of his late wife’s melancholy singing, the production assumes a whinging tone which detracts from its gravitas.

Sweet Grassmarket, 5 – 20 Aug, 1.35pm (2.25pm), £7.00 – £8.00, fpp309.
tw rating 2/5
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