Commissioned for The National Theatre’s New Connections Festival in 2011, this play, riffing on the tale of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, tells the story of a band of child soldiers who disappear after following the enigmatic Sebastian Schmidt into the ongoing conflict between The Plains and The Hills in a vaguely defined dystopia. The teenage cast definitely have talent and show a lot of potential, but here the emotionally charged material often requires their acting muscles to be stretched a little bit further than they are currently capable of, and the play can at times drag a bit as a result. In a few years’ time, some of these kids might be brilliant, but unfortunately they’re not quite there yet.

Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 2-5 Aug, 10.05pm.
tw rating 2/5 | [Iain Martin]

Sections: by Iain Martin - ED2012 Theatre Reviews - tw rating 2/5 | Tags: Best Rest Theatre Company, Spotlites

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