'The Unreturning' - Frantic Assembly

If you’re a theatre person then you already know the name ‘Frantic Assembly’ - a dynamic and internationally renowned physical theatre company, who make wonderfully expressive and visceral productions that have been amazing audiences since they were founded in 1994. They are one of the most studied companies, inspiring numerous young people to get involved in theatre, most significantly through their Ignition program.

On the 13th February they performed their new touring show ‘The Unreturning’ at The Curve Theatre, Leicester. Exploring the after effects of war from three contrasting eras, past, present and future, the performance examined what coming home really means, and exposed the grim truth: home changes. We are introduced to three characters; George, a valiant soldier in 1918 suffering from PTSD, longing to regain his old life with Rose, his wife; Frankie, a laddish soldier in 2013, discharged from his position after attacking a civilian, who is no longer seen as a hero, but as a monster; and Nat, a civil war refugee in 2026, fleeing his camp in Norway hoping to find his brother back in the UK.

First and foremost, the set was wonderfully crafted to create a playground of opportunities for the performers to work with. Designer Andrzej Goulding staged the production on a large shipping container, which moved with the actors like another performer all of its own. Its ability to mould and change shape coupled with opening doors and sliding frames generated a brand new set for each scene to take place in or indeed on top of. This almost grungy appearance cast a dark and edgy air to the show from the beginning, and was the perfect metaphor for the soldiers as shipped war cargo themselves.

The company are particularly talented at interweaving multiple stories together to give a beautifully layered structure, flashing between narratives with a multi-rolling cast that were brilliant at adapting abruptly but also subtly. This kept the piece snappy and engaging, however it has to be said that the opening section lacked this structure. As a result I found it to be less compelling and an obvious weaker section, whereby each actor had an individual monologue, instead of that tightly rehearsed weaving of text that I enjoy from Frantic Assembly so much.

One moment that was especially engaging occurred between actors Jared Garfield and Joe Layton, in a sequence where the World War I soldier (George), suffering from PTSD, lay in bed with his wife. The soldier found his wife’s sleeping body draped over him, which in his mind quickly morphed into attacking soldiers and dead comrades. Layton was superb in transitioning between playing the wife and soldier figures, and these moments were both touching and uncomfortable for an audience, as we saw the struggle between love and violence. A fascinating section to watch, it provided an interesting insight into symptoms that PTSD sufferers deal with.

As always, the production was bursting with Frantic Assembly’s celebrated physicality, creating images only this style of theatre could achieve. Their lifts were heart stopping, and they moved around each other so smoothly that they became one body. A certain sensitivity in the text accompanied this, while also maintaining an overwhelming and powerful presence throughout, and I have to commend writer Anna Jordan for her beautiful and almost poetic script.

The production was also very technically accomplished, with projections being a key collaborator with the set. Some lovely subtle moments were produced here, such as the creation of lapping waves on the stage floor, or holes dripping with gunky water on the side of the container. To contrast this, designer Andrzej Goulding also included some extremely artificial moments of projection, where technology was at the forefront of the moment. For example, plagued by the dishonour of a YouTube video that lead to his discharge of service, Frankie stands against the container, petrified, while the videos burst out of his head to sit on the container, surrounding and taunting him. Aside from the opening, where the dates are projected, this is the only real moment of projection where the images are made purposefully artificial, and while it was executed brilliantly, this disconnected it from the rest of the show for me. I only wish Goulding would have chosen to input this technological style more into the show to underpin the concept, or disregard it altogether.

Altogether the show was a brilliant success, gripping and captivating audiences from start to finish. The level of skill from the actors in this four hander was second to none, but I want to give particular mention to Kieton Saunders-Browne, who did not actually have his own story line or set character, save for Nat’s brother at the very end. In my eyes, he carried the show, morphing seamlessly into the supporting characters, or sometimes not even a character, but as a lifter or a set mover, and I feel he deserves endless praise and recognition for his part in the show. Overall, the concept was brilliantly sensitive but still hard hitting; the movement was simply exquisite; and the set was just outstanding. All I can say is, Frantic Assembly have done it again!

Make sure to check out the trailer for this production, which is still touring until March.