One Last Thing (for now) Review

The Old Red Lion 7 – 25 March.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

The beauty and poignancy of love letters sent during times of war is brought to the stage in this stunning ensemble production by Althea Theatre.

Beginning with a cacophony of voices, all trying to be heard, seven stories evolve throughout the show. A Russian officer, after sending too many notices of death, begins writing to a woman in Wales, pretending to be her dead husband. An American soldier in Vietnam writes mundane letters to his wife, unable to tell her the true horrors he is experiencing. An Israeli teacher encourages her class to write about their plans for the future before they graduate and join the army. A French girl keeps the love letter written to her by a German soldier. A Colombian asylum seeker waits in London to hear from her kidnapped husband. A British soldier in Afghanistan skypes with his fiancée, unable to find beautiful words to write; and 100 years ago, a woman sends her touch to her husband fighting in the war.

Lilac Yosiphon’s direction is sensitive and lyrical. The ensemble move and dance together, punctuate key moments by breathing together, and create an atmosphere that feels intense and cosy at the same time. Angus McRae’s music is used with intuitive skill to provide moments of whimsy and heartbreak, and the simple set of cascading sheets of paper in the tiny space gives the impression of being in an attic room poring over these treasured letters together. The whole ensemble shine, bringing passion and compassion to their various characters.

The switching back and for between stories develops a lovely meandering rhythm throughout the show, and some of the audience’s preconceptions about certain characters are blown out of the water to devastating effect. As we revisit Violette throughout her life and finally learn the truth about her encounter with the German soldier your bottom lip will be trembling.

The words of love and hope during such terrible times are inspiring, and the loss of such writing skills today is illustrated to great tragi-comic effect by the ensemble voicing a soldier and his girlfriend’s “romantic” text messages.

One Last Thing (for now) is bold and beautiful theatre; an emotional and heart-warming show that celebrates love in dark times, and a show you could watch many times, finding something new each time.