I usually find it hard to sit still in cinemas and theatres but Regeneration was gripping. Two and a half hours of literally theatrical poetry in motion! The entire cast delivered with aplomb and the change in acts seamless. The sound effects of war and lighting certainly helped provide emphasis where it was required. The Theatre Royal Nottingham itself proved to be a perfect venue for this type of show as it seated the audience in great vintage comfort.
It was evident that even though a hundred years have passed since the start of the First World War the themes of Regeneration are as relevant now as they were then. It provided a blunt account of the human cost and consequence of war, and it is exactly the title of the play that Nicholas Wright’s fantastic stage adaptation centred upon. Two themes marched slowly but yet with purpose throughout. Firstly, personal struggles on dealing with the internal ethical fight of soldiers balancing duty on one hand and the absurdities of fighting on the other. Secondly, professional struggles where ironic acts of kindness are amplified when it comes to heal and propel soldiers back into the trenches and then out of the hospital bed and beyond. Regeneration indeed.
Morality was the star of the show and was personified by fantastic performances by the three main characters in the following rank – Captain Rivers (Stephen Boxer) Siegfried Sassoon (Tim Delap) and Wilfred Owen (Garmon Rhys). The battle poems recited manifested an honest account of the effects of war and certainly brought back the nostalgia of GCSE English Literature lessons but Regeneration brought them very much back to life.
The loud and relentless clapping by the audience certainly indicated that they thoroughly enjoyed the show and got their money’s worth. Go and see it – A fantastic soiree outing.
Ketan Patel
Photograph by Manuel Harlan
