Reviews

It may have seemed a long way away, but as Eastern Angles’ artistic director Ivan Cutting, who adapted the play, points out in his programme notes "‘it’s remarkable how cultural differences retain their hold on our lives, whether rooted in something as seasonal as drifting or trawling, as deeply held as Christian and Muslim, or as territorial as the rivalry between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft or Greece and Turkey."

Sharif Dorania and Yasmin Bodalbhai

Cultural diversity

It seemed particularly apt in the current climate to witness a depiction of a community where cultural diversity works so well – where the wife of one leader turns to his religious opposite for support and the love of a young Muslim goatherd for a Christian girl is accepted.

The effect of war was played out sensitively - from the mother, who's son is on the run from duty, to the return of the soldier who's broken by what he had been forced to see and do.

Intriguing characters

The story is full of intriguing characters, played out beautifully by the whole company, many of whom are making their professional debuts in this production. For me, Stavros Demetraki was one of the stars, for the pure physicality of his Dog and the dry wit of Leonidas, the radical Greek schoolteacher (although I was slightly uncomfortable with the accent he adopted as fisherman Gerasimos). 

Simple staging 

As usual for an Eastern Angles production the simple staging was perfect with everything serving a dual purpose - houses becoming boats with the drops their sails.

At times I found this production a little hard going but there were moments of hilarity and great poignancy – as well as plenty of issues to mull over afterwards. There were murmurs from parts of the audience that it was difficult to follow some of the dialogue, although this wasn't something I had trouble with.

'Horror, humour and humanity'

Ivan Cutting's done a great job of adapting Louis de Bernières novel of more than 600 pages for the stage. The Norfolk writer (and former Ipswich schoolteacher)'s work was described in the Independent as a "mesmerising patchwork of horror, humour and humanity" and that’s exactly what we witnessed last night.

Birds Without Wings is being performed by Eastern Angles at venues across Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and London, visit their website for details using the link on the right>>