Amsterdam, Orange Tree Theatre - ★★★★ - Until October 12, 2019


A mysterious letter from the past which will unravel a story of love, betrayal and survival. This is a great setup for a tale which is bound to capture an audience's interest. The horrors of World War II echo into the present and make us consider the kind of world that we are living in and creating. Amsterdam has a fascinating narrative which resonates relevance to our current situation and connects the past and the present in a fascinating way. The haunting spectre of history is wonderfully invoked in a manner that makes the city come alive and universalises it into our current time and place. The drawback for us was the framework used to tell this gripping, atmospheric tale. The notion of an improvisational drama, which has clearly been written and rehearsed, distracted from the artful counterpoint of past and present senses of identity and political reality rather than complementing them. The constant breaking of the fourth wall with translations and commentary also seemed unnecessary. This is a story that is strong enough and interesting enough to sustain a linear telling. Still, the cast did an admirable job of holding us enthralled by the complex moral machinations of the WW II story and how they intersected with and affected the life of the major protagonist. There was some excellent character development here and all four cast members were credible as they bounced between roles. The direction was strong and kept our focus and attention. So, despite the awkwardness of the framing device, this is a strong story brought to life by an excellent cast. A terrific night in the theatre!

Reviewed by J.C.

  Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆ 

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WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until October 12, 2019
Mon - Sat: 7:30 pm, Tue & Sat: 2:30 pm
The Orange Tree Theatre
Map & Location: 1 Clarence St, Richmond TW9 2SA, UK

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