A Fringe Encore: In honor of the centennial of WWI's Battle of the Somme, the Incognito Theatre Company brings Erich Maria Remarque's classic novel about the mental and physical strain of trench warfare to the stage.
"Incognito’s timely adaptation draws out the universal humanity of the characters, instantly forging a bond with the audience. Less a rollercoaster than a whirlwind of emotions, the scenes flit from humour to horror, camaraderie to chaos, drawing the audience in to the desperate lives of the young men sentenced to fight and die on the Western Front…Enthralling, moving and fundamentally, beautifully human."
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"The all-male acting ensemble combine their trademark physical inventiveness with strong individual performances to provide a fresh look at this literary classic…The play’s structure often feels episodic, with several vignettes doing little to serve the wider narrative, and occasional moments of humour fall a little flat...However the actors multi-role with ease and bring moving gravitas to the scenes where they face injured and dying comrades."
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"A visceral and breathtaking production...The cast of five give highly impressive physical performances with strong, striking images and it’s visually stunning. This moving story is told with passion and total commitment from these exceedingly talented actors who breathe a youthful life into the characters they are playing. Skilfully directed by Zuric, this production should be at the very top of your must-see list and richly deserved the standing ovation. It’s simply outstanding."
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"A first-rate production and performance…The very mobile cast were up to the challenge of Zac Nemorin and the directorial concept of Roberta Zuric, which put the words first, and forced a talented team to rely on their interpretation and their own mimetic to tell the terrible story. The proof of the respectful approach to the devised text was in the experiencing, and in a way which gripped attention from the outset and stirred the emotions of the packed audience. "
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"The finished result is performed with passionate aplomb, but it also feels rather hurried, with Remarque’s work crammed into an hour at the expense of subtlety...Incognito Theatre has relied on an episodic structure, and this only adds to the feeling that the play is rudderless…You’ve seen it done before and done better, and the choice to use physical theatre largely fails to leaven what have become hackneyed tropes...The play’s overall picture may be evocative, but the detail is lacking."
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"The production consists of an ensemble of five boys who all give superb performances that reduce you to tears. The choreography of the play is just outstanding and well rehearsed, resulting in a smooth performance that allows the audience to immerse themselves in the emotions of the story. An incredibly physical performance and easily one of the best shows at the Ed Fringe this year!!"
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"Not an unfamiliar story to us, but one that is ever relevant and conveyed by Incognito Theatre Company with fresh passion. Despite only having a small stage to work with, the creative choreography, lighting and sound manages to expand the space, and dramatize the extent and brutality of the situation...We are reminded of soldiers whose youth has been given over to battle and after effects that follow through the powerfully enacted emotive and poetic speeches."
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