The Curing Room, Pleasance Dome

By Amy Stow

The Curing Room by David Ian Lee is not for the faint-hearted. It's spring 1944. 7 Soviet soldiers are trapped in the basement of an abandoned monastery, left to rot by the Nazis. In order to survive, the men - some of whom are merely boys - must descend into a pit of treachery, murder, cannibalism and despair - becoming animals in their desperate, primal instinct to escape. With heavy nods to both The Lord of the Flies and Heart of Darkness, this play explores the horrors of war, leaving a sour taste in the mouth in the process.

The actors are naked throughout - a minor distraction at first, though becoming increasingly unimportant as the play progresses. The cast truthfully convey the personal journeys of their characters, communicating their desperate longing for home, their families, for love and salvation, and becoming objects of pity as they are driven mad with thirst and numbed by despair. Yet there is also humour and hope in this bleak existence, revealing a human spirit that cannot easily be broken by physical hardship.

The production values are to be commended for creating such a believably disturbing set of circumstances. Eerie lighting shifts cast shadows that highlight the darkness within, and haze, blood and gore is rife (although not gratuitous). Competently directed by Joao de Sousa, the most disturbing event of this production is its naturalism. Bold and unapologetic, The Curing Room is an urgent reminder of both the horrors that have passed and that continue to unfold as a result of the darker, moreprimitive side of human nature.

The Curing Room

Pleasance Dome @ 12:00 (1 hr 30 min)

August 12-25th

@TheCuringRoomUK

★★★★

@postscriptjour

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