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Synopsis The play tells the story of one man’s journey through an all-consuming love affair and into the horror of the First World War: While staying as the guest of a factory owner in pre-First World War France, Stephen Wraysford embarks on a passionate affair with Isabelle, the wife of his host. The affair changes them both for ever. A few years later Stephen finds himself back in the same part of France, but this time as a soldier at the Battle of the Somme, the bloodiest encounter in British military history. As his men die around him, Stephen turns to his enduring love for Isabelle for the strength to continue and to save something for future generations.
Sebastian Faulks’ bestselling 1993 novel Birdsong has been brought to the stage thanks to playwright Rachel Wagstaff, who was famously persistent in her pursuit of the staging rights. Directed by Trevor Nunn, no stranger to epic literary adaptations, it premiered at London’s Comedy Theatre last night (28 September 2010, previews from 18 September).
Part of Faulks’ trilogy which also comprises The Girl at the Lion d'Or and Charlotte Gray, Birdsong centres on Stephen Wraysford (played by Ben Barnes) who, while staying as the guest of a factory owner in pre-war France, embarks on a passionate affair with Isabelle, the wife of his host. A few years later Stephen finds himself back in the area, but this time as a soldier at the Battle of the Somme, the bloodiest encounter in British military history. As his men die around him, Stephen turns to his enduring love for Isabelle for the strength to continue.
Michael Coveney on Whatsonstage.com (four stars) - "Trevor Nunn and the writer of this stage version, Rachel Wagstaff, have brilliantly distilled a three-hour play without losing the density of the subject matter or the poetry of the story ... Nunn and his ingenious designer, John Napier, have conjured a superb, fast-moving show of projections, terrifying sonic effects and, especially, full-on camaraderie ... Barnes, like Wraysford himself, leads from the front, ably supported by Nicholas Farrell as both the cuckolded husband and a Scottish general, luminous Zoe Waites as Isabelle's sister, bearing a message of hope, and, especially, the outstanding Lee Ross as the charismatic tunneler Jack Firebrace ... I'm sure, one day, the book will become a great film; for the moment, it is undoubtedly a great theatrical triumph."
Henry Hitchings in the Evening Standard (three stars) - "Wagstaff's version retains many of the novel's intriguing elements: its concern with class, its sense of war as an exercise in blinkered bureaucracy, its depiction of an early-20th century crisis of masculinity. It's poetic, too, and beautiful in places, thanks to John Napier's clever designs … Besides Barnes, there are skilful performances from Zoe Waites, Nicholas Farrell, Genevieve O'Reilly, and above all Lee Ross as Jack, a tunnel-digger with a quirky music hall sensibility. Yet whereas the novel is often claustrophobic, here there is less visceral immediacy. Events are narrated when they really need to be dramatised. The result is too rhetorical: we're told what we ought to be shown."
Michael Billington in the Guardian (four stars) - "Sebastian Faulks has said that transposing a novel to another medium is like trying to turn a painting into a sculpture. I agree with that. But at least, in the case of Rachel Wagstaff's stage version of Faulks's celebrated 1993 novel, it is a very good sculpture … Ben Barnes conveys the essential loneliness of Stephen kept in ignorance of the child he has fathered. Genevieve O'Reilly as his lost lover, Zoe Waites as her consoling sister and Nicholas Farrell as a pipe-smoking, Thucydides-reading captain also invest their roles with the right weight. This is not the whole of Faulks's book; nor can it be. But, in the space of three hours, it gives us an effective summation of the story and captures both the pain and the pity of a war that almost defies comprehension."
Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph (three stars) - "Sometimes one wishes the theatre would leave great novels alone. Sebastian Faulks's Birdsong is such a haunting and harrowing book, and lives so vividly in the mind's eye of the reader, that seeing it on stage is initially at least a deeply disappointing experience ... Barnes, best known as Prince Caspian in the Narnia films, finally finds some of the darkness of the troubled hero, caught between despair at the horror around him and sudden fierce shafts of compassion for his men, but his performance needs to deepen still further … My advice would be to stay at home and read the novel, or better yet, a collection of the great poems written by Owen, Sassoon and others who actually served in the First World War."
Libby Purves in The Times (three stars) - "His play - for it must be judged as such - bears a weight of expectation ... We have heard how Rachel Wagstaff begged for permission, how Trevor Nunn took it on, how the cast wept when shown the model-box of the terrible deep tunnels in the set by the designer, John Napier. That's a lot to live up to ... Ben Barnes takes this on with courage and conviction, but the script doesn't help. The prewar scenes are low key, funny at times, lushly romantic in love soliloquies. Unfortunately, the adaptor's extreme respect for Faulks' prose means that Wraysford is constantly narrating ... Wraysford's last lines resound. 'We will seal what we have seen in the silence of our hearts'. They did. That some told their stories is a grim and necessary blessing. The same goes for the play."
Sebastian Faulks’ wonderful 1993 novel Birdsong is a love story, a chronicle of horrendous conditions in the trenches of the First World War, and a tale of amazing human courage and resilience.
It’s a novel to wallow in, but Trevor Nunn and the writer of this stage version, Rachel Wagstaff, have brilliantly distilled a three-hour play without losing the density of the subject matter or the poetry of the story.
Stephen Wrayford, perfectly embodied by Ben Barnes – tall, dark, impulsive and stubborn – goes to Amiens in 1910 as a 20-year-old textile apprentice manager, embarks on a torrid affair with his host’s wife, Isabelle (Genevieve O'Reilly), and finds his rustic idyll literally engulfed by the First World War.
He becomes a lieutenant in the army, drawn to the dangers and horrors of the tunnel diggers, or sewer rats as they were called, having lost Isabelle who, finding herself pregnant by him, has run away in shame. The Battle of the Somme takes Stephen to the edge of the abyss, and a dark fortnight or more of the soul.
It is unimaginable what these soldiers endured, but Faulks has given us a good idea. Nunn and his ingenious designer, John Napier, have conjured a superb, fast-moving show of projections, terrifying sonic effects and, especially, full-on camaraderie, in scenes of letter-writing home, sing-songs round the piano, and almost shocking self-sacrifice and fortitude.
Using scrims, clever scene changes, music hall patter, and a fully mobile cast of 15, the play shows how the fishing waters round the Somme, and the rustic beauty of this area, are transformed into the sort of killing fields that survivors vowed would never be seen again.
Barnes, like Wraysford himself, leads from the front, ably supported by Nicholas Farrell as both the cuckolded husband and a Scottish general, luminous Zoe Waites as Isabelle’s sister, bearing a message of hope, and, especially, the outstanding Lee Ross as the charismatic tunneler Jack Firebrace, devoted to his ill son back home, and Stephen’s unlikely companion in the hour of darkest need.
I’m sure, one day, the book will become a great film; for the moment, it is undoubtedly a great theatrical triumph.
We saw the 6th Jan performance and both agreed that it is a must see on the West End at the moment. A serious play, well acted which moves between sets effortlessly, engages the audience and creates a powerful atmosphere. I agree it does not match the magnificent Journey's End but that is a very high bar indeed as a comparison. There is, in my opinion, far too much complete rubbish on the West End at the moment (with one or two notable exceptions)and Birdsong stands head and shoulders above the mediocrity. Do yourself a favour and go see Birdsong before it finishes, a great night out. - Gordon
09 Jan 11
I thought, personally, that the play was magnificent. The simplistic backdrop of images drew in the audience into the scene and added so much to the play; the actors were superb, particularly Lee Ross as Firebrace- he was incredible. Although the deliverance of Wraysford's lines by Barnes were a little lacklustre at times, the events selected from the book and the overall atmosphere throughout was incredibly powerful. I was moved several times, especially by Ross and I personally think it was a great representation of the book. - david
07 Jan 11
Tedious. Poor acting. Poor direction. No wonder only a few people were in the audience. - Barnaby
03 Jan 11
Gosh! Where do I start? My favourite novel - ruined. Ben Barnes is painful as Wraysford. Utterly painful. After ten minutes I could predict the pattern of his speech. His intonation remained the same whether he was declaring love, fighting in the trench, bantering with a friend or asking for fishfingers for tea. Every line was delivered like a rabbit in headlights. 'Isabelle. I love you. I really. really. do. I. Can't believe. how much. I. Love. You'
Urgh! Isabelle was equally awful and played with no emotion. Was she intending to sound like a man?
Lee Ross on the other hand was absolutely marvellous. Strong and moving. Very good.
All in all I am sad I went to see this play. This sounds like a rant but it doesn't mean to be. I am just so disappointed. - Billie
12 Dec 10
The acting was almost perfect with Lee Ross utterly superb. The play whilst harrowing never flagged and was certainly not too long. The direction was faultless especially regarding pace and staging. For me this depiction of the atrocities of war felt more poignant than I think a filmed version. I am so glad I was persuaded to see this play. - Carrie
13 Nov 10
Yet again my first attempt at posting a review failed.
If you'ver ever wondered what a talking book would look like on stage Birdsong gives a pretty good idea. Rachel Wagstaff struggles with the theatrical medium and there is far too much narration rather than portrayal of events. Trevor Nunn provides a predictably dutiful if sometimes plodding production, not helped by a mostly bare stage and video projections. After a first act lacking any real sexual chemistry between Stephen and Isabelle events do pick up when the play sifts to the trenches of the First World War. Although not a patch on Journey's End these are beautifully portrayed, particularly through an excellent performance from Lee Ross as a doomed sapper. The tragic ending was given added poignancy as we were seeing the play on November 11, Armistice Day. - David Baxter
11 Nov 10
Brilliant production with a superb group of actors.
Ben Barnes could not have been better cast. - Ann
05 Oct 10
Overlong (at preview stage anyhow) with zero chemistry where it matters, this makes "Oh what a lovely war!" seem cutting edge even today. Ave yourself £2o and read the book. - Bob
29 Sep 10
Absolutely brilliant---it was a very poignant story and had sadness, humour and just superb. All the cast were totally A1-5 star specially Ben Barnes and also Lee Ross who added humour and sadness so well. Deserves to do well and put along War Horse as one of the best WWI pieces on stage. Will go and see it again. - Joe Spiteri
Opened 15 Oct 1881, designed by Thomas Verity and originally gas lit. 780 seats. An Ambassadors theatre since 2000 and renamed The Harold Pinter Theatre in September 2011 in recognition of the wide range of Pinter's plays that the theatre has hosted.
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