Modern, dramatic and extremely realistic from the very beginning: two young men start the play by lurching onto the stage in the middle of a drunken fight - joined shortly by their friends and girlfriends, “cussing” at every opportunity. The picture of many Saturday nights in town and city centres across England I'm sure. (Warning: The play is not for those easily offended by bad language.)
Days of Significance, performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company, is a modern play examining aspects of youth culture in Britain. Although it concentrates largely on the Iraq war, following young Essex lads, Ben and Jamie, leaving home to fight in Basra, the play also tackles issues of violence, alcohol, class and education, family, love and sex.
The play, split into scenes at home and scenes in Basra, looks at the moral choices made by the young characters and how their decisions affect their lives, the lives of their friends and even the two soldiers’ tour of duty. The soldiers, secretly scared but keen to go to Iraq, clash repeatedly with friends about to go to university. Those about to start studying are surprised by how little Ben and Jamie know about the conflict and believe they don't know why they are going to fight – perhaps confirmed by Ben who said he was going because “Saddam” had a big moustache. Yet those about to go to university face their own problems – grief from their friends who say they have changed.
Despite its serious nature, the RSC allowed the audience to relax and engage with the production by including humour and light-hearted moments. The drunken projectile vomiting really caught the audience's attention, as did the male character's drunken antics - which included peeing in the streets and exposing themselves to local policemen.
The play was simple yet clever in its stage design - the stage set to allow for scenes at home and Basra without the need for changes. In fact there was only one scene change in the whole one hour and 50 minute show. They also made excellent use of a projector and screen to show the videos sent home by Ben in Basra to his girlfriend Trish.
Overall the play was engaging, thought-provoking and enjoyable. It was also in my opinion, incredibly realistic, reflecting aspects of modern Britain.
Days of Significance, performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company, is a modern play examining aspects of youth culture in Britain. Although it concentrates largely on the Iraq war, following young Essex lads, Ben and Jamie, leaving home to fight in Basra, the play also tackles issues of violence, alcohol, class and education, family, love and sex.
The play, split into scenes at home and scenes in Basra, looks at the moral choices made by the young characters and how their decisions affect their lives, the lives of their friends and even the two soldiers’ tour of duty. The soldiers, secretly scared but keen to go to Iraq, clash repeatedly with friends about to go to university. Those about to start studying are surprised by how little Ben and Jamie know about the conflict and believe they don't know why they are going to fight – perhaps confirmed by Ben who said he was going because “Saddam” had a big moustache. Yet those about to go to university face their own problems – grief from their friends who say they have changed.
Despite its serious nature, the RSC allowed the audience to relax and engage with the production by including humour and light-hearted moments. The drunken projectile vomiting really caught the audience's attention, as did the male character's drunken antics - which included peeing in the streets and exposing themselves to local policemen.
The play was simple yet clever in its stage design - the stage set to allow for scenes at home and Basra without the need for changes. In fact there was only one scene change in the whole one hour and 50 minute show. They also made excellent use of a projector and screen to show the videos sent home by Ben in Basra to his girlfriend Trish.
Overall the play was engaging, thought-provoking and enjoyable. It was also in my opinion, incredibly realistic, reflecting aspects of modern Britain.