I love a play that makes me sit back and think. Where nothing is obvious and after the performance ends, you can have a good old chinwag about what you have just seen, what it means and what happens next. One such production is Joseph Dewey & Helen Goodman’s Toy Soldier getting its world premiere at the Waterloo East Theatre.
It’s 2002 and Jane (Lucy Bromilow) has arrived to pack up the family farm that was recently sold. This is an auspicious year for not only is it the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, but it is also the 20th anniversary of the Argentinian invasion of the Falkland Islands. As she packs, Jane is distracted by a small box containing some personal things belonging to Alejo (Nico Conde), an Argentine soldier. These trigger memories of her life less than two decades ago when General Galtieri’s decision to invade the “Islas Malvinas” led to the invasion and a major conflict with the military might of the United Kingdom. A time when Jane, her mother, brother Billy (Michael Tantrum) and everyone including Billy’s friend Mark (Spin Glancy) were held captive in their own country and where all their lives were irrevocably changed.
I was at High School during the Falklands Conflict and, like everyone at the time, eagerly followed the daily news of what was happening as ‘our boys’ went to claim back an island few of us had ever heard of 8,000 miles away. This was probably the most televised conflict in history, so we knew everything about it. And yet, in all that time, I don’t think I ever gave a thought to the people living in the islands and how their lives were affected by the invasion and subsequent counter-attacks. Toy Soldier really made me stop a minute and think, not only about the islanders but also about the individual Argentine soldiers, mainly conscripts and probably terrified despite the macho bravado of conquering heroes.
This was due to the writing and some really fascinating characters brought to life by a talented cast. Lucy Bromilow’s Jane is a pragmatist who knows that no matter what happens, life has to go on. There are sheep to be fed and a brother to look after and protect – from himself and those around him – no matter how much he resents it. Bromilow comes across as a person good to have with you in a crisis as they see through the smoke and mirrors and get on with the jobs at hand. Then we have Billy played by Michael Tantrum who brings all the exuberance, naivete and obstinacy you would expect from a seventeen-year-old who knows everything and doesn’t want to be told anything that doesn’t fit in with his view of the world. While Billy’s enthusiasm for getting his country back from the Argentinians can be put down to an excess of youthful hope over being sensible, it is difficult to know where Mark – superbly portrayed by Spin Glancy – gets his ideas of the world. There are moments, particularly at the end of Act I – when Glancy’s performance is so intense it is pretty terrifying. A really first-rate, and haunting portrayal of all that is bad with zealots. Finally, let’s turn to the performance of Nico Conde as Alejo. Alejo doesn’t say much but is on stage virtually the whole time. Without giving away anything, Conde manages to bring across his pain and suffering without ever distracting from the main action, a great performance that beautifully demonstrates the art of presenting a character without moving.
Overall, I quite liked Toy Soldier. There were a few elements I’m not sure worked for me. The scene with Billy and Jane’s parents for example felt unnecessary and didn’t seem to add anything to the narrative unless I missed something. Whilst Verity Johnson’s set – a crowded space walled with cardboard boxes – was effective, the fragmented nature of the boxes meant that the video projection wasn’t always easy to see. My final query is why there was an interval. I would have been happier if the show had gone straight through without an interval. Alternatively – again no spoilers – I felt that there was a missed opportunity not going into the story of what happens after Billy does what he does, which was a shame. But to sum up, Toy Soldier is a fascinating story that is told well. While I think it could be expanded in certain areas, it did leave me and the people I was chatting with a lot to talk about, so well done.
Review by Terry Eastham
The Falkland Islands, July 2002. Jane has been keeping a secret for 20 years, and amidst the grip of patriotism as the islanders celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, Jan returns to pack up the family home following the death of her mother. Jane takes the audience on a journey through the Falklands conflict of 1982, which she shared with her younger brother, where isolation and fear became the daily norm.
Cast: Lucy Bromilow, Nico Conde, Spin Glancy and Michael Tantrum
Written by Joseph Dewey and Helen Goodman
Director: Helen Goodman
Lighting Designer: Vittorio Verta
Theatre On The River presents
TOY SOLDIER
Waterloo East Theatre, Brad Street, London SE1 8TN
21 January to 2 February
