Kings Theatre, Glasgow – until 2 June 2018
Reviewed by Linda McLaughlan
5*****
One of the most moving, emotional performances adapted for the stage I have watched in a long time.
The reality of what soldiers went through during the lead up to the Great War and the Somme was brought to minds of everyone who watched last nights performance of Birdsong. Reading the book and seeing the screen show did not allow you to feel the emotions that emanated from the stage from the remarkable performance from a truly outstanding cast. The audience were able to truly feel the fear and heroism of the brave men who fought above and below ground (known as the Sewer Rats) for a war that the truly may never have understood. Young boys who lied about their age to enlist, brothers, fathers and sons all fought shoulder to shoulder and many died, some by their own hand from fear of what lay ahead.
The performance laid bare the fears felt my many through this period of time but also a feeling of camaraderie shone through in the performance from Jack Firebrace (played by Tim Treloar), Stephen Wraysford (played by Tom Kay) and Arthur Shaw (played by Simon Lloyd). The underlying story behind the performance was one of love, lust and the longing to be home with family and in the distance throughout you could here the faint sound of the lark singing amidst the intervals of the bombings.
If you are interested in the events of the Great War and love the works of Sebastian Faulks then go see this performance….. you will not be disappointed.