The Unreturning Review
Given last year was the centenary of the conclusion of World War One, it is not surprising that their have been a number of new and re-imagined works around the theme of war. Frantic Assembly and Theatre Royal’s newest production The Unreturning is no exception though with a different focus- the concept of coming home.
Set in a north British coastal town, it tells the interwoven stories of three young men coming home from war in three different time periods. Going into the production I had guessed two of the wars- World War One and Afghanistan- and I was surprised but intrigued that the third period was set seven years in the future in 2026 with England again at civil war. The Unreturning explores how different generations address the impact of war on themselves, their loved ones and their countries as well as conceits of home. It questions what does coming home from war really mean? What is home- a house, a person, a state of being? Will home heal you or treat you as a truth it does not want to acknowledge?
Penned by Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting winner Anna Jordan, it is a brutal, honest, raw depiction of the inner turmoil experienced by men having to readjust to life after their experiences of war. There are solos, duets and ensemble parts. At times there is only a few words before the next person speaks, at other times there’s a more in-depth look into the characters. George’s storyline of a World War One veteran is the most familiar to us; Frankie’s, the once hero returning from Afghanistan in disgrace, was the strongest performance; while Nat’s story of returning from a refugee camp in Scandinavia to Britain was intriguing but under-developed though serves as a reminder of the current refugee crisis. With the interweaving of stories I feel we didn’t get to know the characters in depth, despite a run time of 100minutes with no intermission.
The differing paces and language styles, the juxtapositions and the repeated behaviours are all representative of similarities and differences among time, as well as representing the trauma one experiences. Jordan has done a great job of building a complex yet poetic play in which the three males exist in the same space but not in the same time.
From the moment you enter the theatre, Andrzej Goulding’s fabulous stage design sets the scene. A shipping container, light and images projected onto the stage floor conveying the incoming tide and sounds of the ocean transport us to Scarborough in the British coast. This shipping container on a revolving stage is the focus of all the action with the actors moving it around or opening, closing and sliding doors to create different settings, and to also convey the differing ‘homes’ people have. Indeed, it feels like a character itself. Frantic Assembly are known for their physicality and use of movement and tonight’s performance did not disappoint with the actors going up, down, across, through and around the shipping container, as well as doing slow motion movements with each other. Neil Bettles direction is mesmerising. Zoe Spurr’s sharp, precise lighting and Pete Malkin’s orchestral sounds, also convey the harsh realities of war and returning home.
The talented cast includes: Jared Garfield, Joe Layton, Jonnie Riordan and Kieton Saunders-Browne. They each play a variety of roles slipping seamlessly between scenes. All are past members of Frantic Assembly’s Ignition, an innovative, free vocational training program for young men aged 16-20 with a focus on those who have little or no exposure to the arts.
The Unreturning premiered at Theatre Royal Plymouth 2018 in co-production between Frantic Assembly and Theatre Royal Plymouth. It toured parts of UK before coming to its current home In London at the Royal Theatre Stratford East. After it’s run finishes here on 2nd February it will go onto to further tour the UK until 1st March 2019.
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Written by Caitlin Neal
Photos by ©Tristram Kenton 09-18
