Black Watch
what?The National Theatre of Scotland's highly acclaimed production about the famous Scottish regiment, written by Gregory Burke and directed by John Tiffany.
Back in black
by Michael McCartneyIt probably has something to do with the difficulty in accurately representing blood, guts and explosions using theatre props that gritty combat zone dramas are seen on stage with relative rarity.
It could have been said in fact, until recently at least, that a theatrical equivalent to the many warts-and-all war zone cinematic masterpieces – such as Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down and, er, to a far lesser extent Rambo III – is sadly lacking.
Step forward Black Watch. Move aside the CGI-aided carnage, gory mutilations and right-wing triumphalism of what has become the identikit of the modern wartime drama.
The National Theatre of Scotland production, which toured Britain to great acclaim last year, is on the move again and will this time take in Glasgow, which it somehow missed out on its last foray.
Writer Gregory Burke and director John Tiffany’s award-winning play is based on interviews the playwright conducted with soldiers from the famous regiment, and follows a group of squaddies from Fife to Iraq and back again.
Originally performed in an Edinburgh drill hall, the NTS scoured the country in search of suitable venues to accommodate this unique, technically complex show.
Now that they have at last found one in Glasgow, it’s almost redundant to say that you’d be mad to miss out on the chance to enjoy this hard-hitting and insightful glimpse of life on the front line.
Black Watch is on at the SECC in Glasgow from April 11-18. Tickets cost £25 (£15).