Movement, music, journalism, and drama combine for a unique theatrical experience in the National Theatre of Scotland's production of Black Watch, a dynamic collective portrait of the titular military unit and its sojourn in Iraq just before the famed group was disbanded and amalgamated into the Scottish army. Playing in an arena setting in the cavernous St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn, there is nothing like it on or off Broadway. Scenes of epic theatre reminiscent of Brecht smash up against kitchen-sink realistic moments, musical numbers alternate with video collages, and deafening explosions follow dreamlike ballets. Gregory Burke's pithy script employs interviews with former members of the regiment to examine how men behave in war and how the new tactic of suicide bombing has shattered their morale. Politics are kept to a minimum; the main focus is the relationships among the men. "I didn't fight for my country," one says. "I fought for my mates."
Director John Tiffany's imaginative staging includes numerous examples of stunning stagecraft. Two soldiers in desert fatigues rip their way out of a pool table, demonstrating that the war is always with the survivors even as they enjoy a pint in a pub. The ritual of reading letters from home becomes a beautiful dance of silent gestures. The 300-year history of the Black Watch is told with flashy choreography as a single soldier is dressed and undressed in the company's various outfits through the centuries. Movement director Steven Hoggett and music director Davey Anderson provide matchless contributions to these sequences.
The 10-man ensemble is uniform in its understated sharpness. Nevertheless, a few should be singled out, including intense Paul Rattray as the closest thing the play has to a central character, Cammy, a third-generation recruit disillusioned by the devastating effects of modern warfare; versatile Paul Higgins as both the mild-mannered interviewer and a foul-mouthed sergeant; and jocular Emun Elliott as the company clown.
Add Gareth Fry's ear-splitting sound design and Colin Grenfell's desert-evocative lighting and you have the most affecting picture of war this side of Apocalypse Now.
Presented by St. Ann's Warehouse in association with Affinity Company Theater
at St. Ann's Warehouse, 38 Water St., Brooklyn, NYC.
Oct. 21-Nov. 11. Tue.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 3 and 8 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m.
(212) 352-3101 or (866) 811-4111 or www.theatermania.com or www.stannswarehouse.org.