Poignant. Needed. Physical. Breath-taking. No Man’s Land enters the theatrical landscape at a time when approximately 40% of men will not open up about their mental health. A time when men account for 3 out of 4 suicides. When 30% of men admit that they have no idea where to turn to for help or support if they begin to suffer with anxiety and depression.

Based on Kyle Stead’s own lived experience, the new play from Rachel Trezise with direction from Matthew Holmquist (and co-direction from Kira Bissex), is one of the most visceral, realistic and gritty displays of mental deterioration I have ever witnessed on stage. The physicality of the performance and the sheer energy and desperation that Kyle pours and crafts into his performance are nothing short of breathtaking. The script is punchy, distinctly Welsh, cleverly drip feeding us information whilst holding back the final gut punch until the very last moments. We are mesmerised trying to work out what has happened to the protagonist, Lewis, guessing parts and knowing in the pit of our stomachs what is coming, but not fully knowing until the dying embers of the performance.

The performance of Lewis’ descent into the No Man’s Land of his mind has Kyle pounding across the stage of wood chippings, diving, throwing himself without warning between the barbed wire of one end of the stage and the bar of the rugby club at the other end. The sheer physicality of the performance here is beyond belief. Kyle truly captures the descent into mental disarray and despair. This is peppered throughout by brilliantly naturalistic voice acting with the whole of Lewis’ circle of acquaintances presented in an audio way. The delivery of lines here is exceptional, they could be in the room with us. The way the lines interweave with Kyle’s own delivery as Lewis emphasises that Lewis is truly alone and living through memories of his own trauma. The cast of voice artists include Tori Lyons as Llinos, Lewis’ mam, Richard Elfyn as Ronnie, Rhys Parry Jones as Mervyn, Tobias Weatherburn as Josh and the teacher, Toby Hawkins in a beautifully poignant rendition of Younger Lewis, just before the traumatic incident and Phillip John Jones as Callum.

This production is delivered exceptionally from set design to sound to lighting. The whole design of the piece melds so seamlessly together to create an urgent, needed piece of theatre that everyone, especially men, need to see. I also really love how this is an accumulation of so many fantastic organisations coming together to create something that is so important; Kyle Stead Productions, Sherman Cymru, RCT Theatres and support from Platfform, but also having Silence Speaks present after every performance, captioning at every show and BSL interpretation at certain shows, means that this important, topical play becomes accessible to all. For Kyle’s performance alone, the show is exceptional, but the way it comes together from all aspects is what is truly brilliant here.

(5 / 5)

Were it not for my military obsessed 12 year old son, I doubt I would ever have considered going to see War Horse, but as soon as I saw it was coming to the Wales Millennium Centre I knew I had to take him and I am so glad I did!

I think initially my son was a bit disappointed with the minimal set on the stage – it looks nothing when you arrive and take your seats, but within minutes of the production starting you are transported into a different time and what follows can only be described as epic!

As we were waiting for the performance to begin, I read the opening few paragraphs of Sarah Hemming’s article ‘A Crazy Experiment’ in the official programme, and it has really made me reflect upon what we’ve seen.  National Theatre director Marianne Elliott confessed that when she first encountered the idea of a stage version of Michael Morpurgo’s classic tale, she thought it was ‘completely mad’ and she’s right!  How on earth do you have a horse as a main character on stage, convey the bond built-up between boy and horse over time and represent the horrors of the first world war in just a couple of hours of theatre?  THIS is how you do it!

From the second the foal Joey bounds on to the stage, the audience is totally enchanted.  There is no attempt to make the overall appearance of the puppets realistic but they are completely convincing.  From every subtle twitch of the ears to the flick of the tails, I was in awe of the puppeteers and all I can think is that they must have spent hours sitting in stables, fields and watching video footage of horses, to be able to recreate such life-like behaviour through these incredible creations.  The opening scenes between Tom Sturgess (Albert Narracott) and Joey (as both foal and then horse) are touching and utterly spellbinding.  I felt Albert’s trepidation as he tries to win the trust of the skittish little foal, and his frustration as he tries to tame the thoroughbred into becoming a working horse, because the nervousness and then the power of the young and adult Joey respectively, were so accurately portrayed in the nuanced sounds and movements of the puppets.  The attention to detail is mind blowing.

As the story moves on, punctuated by regular little flashes of humour and clever observations about life at the time, the designers come into their own.  How do you convey the scale of war?  How, in just over an hour, do you move the audience from the bravado and propaganda at the start of the war, through the juxtaposition of terror and  camaraderie on the battlefield to the sheer desolation and futility towards the end without risk of dishonouring the memory of the many real people that lost their lives?  Clever use of sound and lighting, slow motion, graphics, moments of humour and humanity and moments of feeling shocked and overpowered by the scale of the props in perfect combination, take you on the journey and draw you into the ever changing tide of emotions.  My 12 year old didn’t fidget once, he was transfixed, as was I, for the entire show.

Overall I felt that this production is a masterclass in theatre production.  Every aspect of it from design to puppets, acting (and puppeteering) to special effects and use of the space, combine to make you leave the theatre feeling like you’ve been part of something extraordinary.  There are only a few times in my life when I have left the theatre thinking – ‘I will remember that for the rest of my days’ and War Horse is definitely one of them.  In these times when we hear that AI will takeover the world and so much of the entertainment we consume is in bite-sized reels and TikTok videos, it was reassuring to be reminded of the quality that can be achieved when a team of talented, creative people work together to bring the impossible to life.  I now want to take everyone I know to share in this special experience.

Kate Richards

Get the Chance

Image Credit Kirsten McTernan

The Visit from Paper trails allows us an insight into a little seen experience, but one that is so important for the people involved. Watching a mother, daughter and auntie meet at the nearest women’s prison to their South Wales home opens the door into conversations around justice, responsibility, connection and the ripple of consequence that can effect families for years to come.

The pared back set by Designer Lucy Hall, helped us to focus on the three-hander, as well as the integrated BSL provided by the prison guards, looming over the characters whilst also giving a new layer of meaning. We were always aware of the theatricality of the form of the piece, from breakaway monologues, heightened lighting and an eerie soundscape. But his balanced with the humanity and the family at the core of the play.

The chance to imagine ‘what would I do in this situation’ is something that is such an important aspect that theatre allows, while the chances of being dealt the very tough cards of Ffi and Carys are low, the reality that many of us could make a mistake that would affect the rest of our lives is a true one. Angharad played by Lizzie Caitlin Bennett balanced awkwardness with being forced to grow up far too quickly.

The company’s work in researching and developing the piece is apparent, and the understanding of the current flaws of the justice system are an important theme, using verbatim moments in Sian Owen’s writing. This is the 2nd tour of the show around South Wales and the continuity of having the same creatives is apparent, as well as showing the possibility of sustainability and social worth.

The Visit is touring South Wales and you can catch it, as well as find out more about Paper Trail here