All Quiet on the Western Front

The most famous anti-war book ever written, “All Quiet on the Western Front “ follows a group of idealistic German schoolboys boys who are urged on by their teacher to enlist in the Great War. High hopes and high spirits soon become grim realism as life in the trenches unfolds, and one by one they die. .A great novel, an Oscar winning film, but just how effective is Giles Croft’s stage production currently at the King’s Theatre?
Erich Maria Remarque’s novel has been adapted by Robin Kingsland, and it’s a difficult work to stage, not least of all because most of the action has to be narrative driven. James Alexandrou - Martin Fowler from “Eastenders” plays a gruelling part in the central role of Paul Baumer. He is hardly ever off stage, and is the talking head for most of the play. He it is who anecdotally describes most of the action, and when there is dialogue it is often in a series of set piece vignettes. Phil Brunner’s highly effective set design gives us the bleakness of the trenches with multi -purpose ammunition boxes used as school benches and hospital beds, coffins and dugouts. Ear shattering staccato gunfire is produced on stage by rattling along a corrugated grille and amazing bombardment is produced by Richard G Jones sharp lighting effects. With the all male cast never off stage, there is comical effect when they play women, as well as the lightness of comradely banter and the poignancy of a harmonica playing and raw singing. The moving moments of death and reflection however, are this play’s strength and the whole horror and futility of war come across in this stage production as potently as they have ever done.

Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company bring this work to the King’s Theatre until Saturday November 1st.