Black Watch

Reviewed in April 2008 at the SECC, Glasgow.

Black Watch seemed like it came from nowhere, becoming the must-see production of 2006 almost overnight.

The reviews were universally positive, with only a small minority of critics refusing the production a perfect rating. It sold out, swept most award boards and undertook a celebrated world tour. Most importantly, it firmly established the National Theatre of Scotland as a major player in world theatre.

After two years, the production is still as many said it was at its premiere: excellently crafted, staged and performed. It is a potent piece of theatre that sweeps the audience into an emotional frenzy.

Playwright Gregory Burke interviewed members of the Black Watch, extrapolating their experiences into dramatic scenes set in Iraq and Scotland. These scenes are expertly written, infusing the horrors of war with political insight and gallows humour.

A closer examination reveals one minute flaw: most of the characters are not fully developed. The play is very much an ensemble piece. The lines of banter and observations could easily come from any of the characters, most of whom are defined more by stereotype than through personal characteristics. Only Cammy, the play's narrator, feels like a fully-fleshed individual.

The men are brilliantly played by a cast of ten, all of whom seem like real military men instead of actors merely playing at soldiering. However, as good as they are, the newer members of the cast don't seem to have as much power in their performances as the actors who originated the roles. This may be down to the first cast's opportunity to personally add to the production and the formation of their characters during the rehearsal process. However, a first-timer would be hard pressed to separate the remaining original cast members from the newer replacements.

The argument can easily be made that the real star performance is given by director John Tiffany. The staging of the piece brings new meaning to the term 'shock and awe'. Tiffany manages to create striking visuals: the soldiers' use of gestures to express their raw emotions over letters sent from home, the synchronised movement of the actors, the creative use of a pool table, to name but a few. Tiffany has carefully crafted a mosaic of images that not only heightens but, at times, transcends the script and the story.

It's debatable whether Burke's script will translate well into future productions. It feels like a play of its time, and it's nearly impossible to envision a different production that doesn't incorporate Tiffany's directorial choices.

However, there's little doubt that this production will be honoured as an important milestone for Scottish theatre. It has established the NTS and will hopefully lead to the creation of an even stronger Scottish theatre culture. This is certainly a production worth seeing, remembering and celebrating.

This production was reviewed in April 2008 at the SECC, Glasgow.