Not About Heroes (Tour – Salford)

Stephen MacDonald’s play Not About Heroes speculates about a meeting between war poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sasson when the two were hospitalised together in 1917.

The significance is that, prior to the meeting, Owen was an aspiring poet and an undistinguished solider but afterwards he wrote some of the most powerful verse in history and was awarded the Military Cross. He was also killed in action just a week before World War 1 ended.

MacDonald is respectful towards his subjects and his speculation is scholarly and measured rather than sensationalised. Sasson’s contribution to the development of Owen is presented in a low-key manner. His inspirational role is downplayed and Sasson is shown more prosaically as a mentor, offering editorial advice and making connections with publishers for the younger man.

Owen’s motivation in wanting to return to active duty is to prove his courage so that his criticism of the war will be taken seriously. Any suggestion of darker psychological motives – that Owen might have had a death wish or to have actively sought danger- are avoided.

This makes for a studious rather than dramatic presentation. It is not without interest; some of the detail is so fascinating at times you wish MacDonald had taken a more speculative approach and explored conspiracy theories.

It is suggested that the authorities had Sasson hospitalised to discredit his criticism of the mis-handling of the war and that a later head wound was administered by his own soldiers who objected to Sasson contravening regulations and removing his helmet.

But the writer sticks rigidly to a limited exploration of his subjects. Both characters are shown to have no discernable flaws – there is no sense of, say, Sasson feeling jealous of Owen’s growing ability. It is a studious rather than dramatic approach.

This straightforward approach limits the ability of the cast to develop the characters. The only way that Simon Jenkins can suggest Owen’s growing confidence is to reduce the stammer that he adopts in early scenes.

Alasdair Craig has a slightly wider scope being able to give Sasson a roguish air as he slips away daily for golf. But too often the cast are just used to verbalise developments in the lives of the writers and drop names to show how Owen’s field of contacts widened.

Director Caroline Clegg seems intimidated by the bulk of information to be conveyed and keeps action to a minimum to avoid distractions. The cast adopt stiff military poses and have limited mobility throughout which increases the impression of them just delivering background information rather than developing interesting characters.

Although a contemporary composer the discrete music by Ailis Ni Riain brings a sense of the period in which the play is set.

This is a solid production of a play that is full of information about two potentially fascinating characters but is not well served by a timid presentation.

Not About Heroes is at the Lowry until 8 October.