Review: The Two Worlds Of Charlie F. at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Love Survives The Venom Of The Snake

Charlie F (Marine Cassidy Little) Photo: Cylla von Tiedemann

The Two Worlds Of Charlie F.

 

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until May 3^rd 2014.

Written by Owen Sheers
Directed by Stephen Rayne

“What do they teach us in training? Adapt and overcome.” Charlie F.

Charlie F. was to tell the audience more than just about life in the sand pit. This emotive production was going to challenge ones values about life itself.  The production began life in 2010 as a theatre project for 30 wounded, injured and sick (WIS) Service personnel. After performances, and rave reviews, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, it was to go on tour in 2012. This year sees it touring both Canada and the UK again.

 

Captain David Philips (Owen Oldroyd) and Sapper John Booth (Tom Colley)

Photo: Cylla von Tiedemann

The show is narrated by Charlie Fowler, who is played by Royal Marine Cassidy Little. Cassidy comes across as someone who has spent his life on the stage rather than in the armed forces as he takes command of the theatre.  The bulk of the ensemble are injured forces personnel who carry their stories passionately. A collection of stories are presented from their original civilian life through training, active service, injury, rehabilitation and then back to civilian life. This included why Lance Corporal Simi Yates (Lance Corporal Maurillia Simpson) joined the forces in a desire to live at the same place as the Queen. It is difficult not to be moved, such as when they discuss the homesickness experienced when awaiting mail from home or making a 20 minute phone call. Not all injuries are physically obvious and Major Daniel Thomas (Lieutenant Stewart Hill) explained the distress of going from leading a large group into battle to being unable to organise ones own affairs any more.

The entire company are to be applauded for the way they obtained the respect of the audience rather than seeking sympathy for their wounds. It is very rare to see the whole audience rise to their feet when applauding a production but this is no ordinary show.

The Two Worlds of Charlie F is one of the most powerfully moving and emotive pieces of theatre to grace the stage in a very long time. 

 

Photo: Cylla von Tiedemann

The Two Worlds of Charlie F appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Monday 28 April – Saturday 3 May. Tickets are available from £9 (plus a booking fee of 95p - £1.95 will apply to most tickets) and can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 or select your own seat and book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Twitter @CharlieF_Tour
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharlieFTour
Website: http://www.charlie-f.com/
 
The show continues on tour

Newcastle Theatre Royal

28th April-3rd May 2014

08448 112121

Theatre Royal Norwich

5th-10th May 2014

01603 630000

Wycombe Swan

19th-21st May 2014

01494 512000

GuildfordG-Live

22nd-24th May 2014

0844 7701 797

Mercury Theatre Colchester

27th-31st May 2014

01206 573948

Truro Hall, Cornwall

2nd-7th June 2014

01872 262446

Manchester Opera House

9th-14th June 2014

0844 871 7660

This review was written by Stephen Oliverfor Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo  

Preview: The Two Worlds of Charlie F - Newcastle Theatre Royal 28 April – 3 May

MUCH TALKED ABOUT PLAY STARRING EX SERVICE PERSONNEL COMES TO THEATRE ROYAL  

‘I am so proud and overwhelmed.  It is the most moving play I’ve seen for a long, long time.  The public should get behind this and be part of something unforgettable.’ Ray Winstone

In the centenary anniversary of the outbreak of World War 1, the play The Two Worlds of Charlie F, will start a new UK tour visiting Newcastle Theatre Royal 28 April – 3 May.  The tour, which will be supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, will be supporting The Royal British Legion by raising funds at each performance.  It will be performed by medically discharged military personnel, as well as professional actors. 

The Two Worlds of Charlie F was the idea of Alice Driver, the then Masterclass Creative Producer and now the Executive Producer of this new tour.  Her initial idea was to provide a unique work placement for serving wounded, injured and sick (WIS) military personnel within a theatre company. This was the first time that the MOD had allowed a theatre company access to their wounded soldiers and led to workshops and interviews with the WIS service personnel from the war in Afghanistan, which, in turn, led to a play being created through the partnership of The Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust, The Royal British Legion and Defence Recovery Capability, written by the award-winning poet and playwright Owen Sheers.  The play was rehearsed and performed on stage at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London’s West End for two sold-out performances.   The play then went on a short UK tour, visiting Birmingham, Cardiff and Edinburgh, and won the Amnesty International Award for Freedom of Expression 2012.  The production was directed by Stephen Rayne with the support of patron Trevor Nunn.  The other two patrons were Ray Winstone, the project ambassador, and recently retired General Sir David Richards, Chief of Defence Staff.  It received five-star reviews, full houses and standing ovations wherever it played.   

A documentary commissioned by Alan Yentob looked at the process of creating and staging The Two Worlds of Charlie F.  Called Theatre of War, it was first shown on BBC1’s Imagine… and is currently nominated for The Grierson Documentary Awards. 

'Very, very funny, very, very touching. I think everyone should see it' Joanna Lumley

'Theatre at it's most direct, vital and moving. Inspirational stuff’ Michael Sheen

The Two Worlds of Charlie F is a soldier’s view of service, injury and recovery.  Moving from the war in Afghanistan, through the dream world of morphine-induced hallucinations to the physio rooms of Headley Court, the play explores the consequences of injury, both physical and psychological, and its effects on others as the soldiers fight to win the new battle for survival at home.  The play is a very personal and very moving look at the effects of war on individual combatants, but it also has a huge amount of humour and humanity.

The cast will include ex-servicemen and women Bombardier (Rtd) Gareth Crabbe, Rifleman (Rtd) Daniel Shaw, Darren “Swifty” Swift, Marine Cassidy Little and Lieutenant Col (Rtd) Stewart Hill, with further casting to be announced.  Marine Cassidy Little, who plays the title role of Marine Charlie Fowler, was born in Canada and studied performance art in the United States.  He then did stand-up comedy in Britain before joining the Marines (as the result of a bet).  Cassidy lost a leg in his second tour of Afghanistan.

Writer Owen Sheers is the author of two collections of poetry, The Blue Bookand Skirrid Hill, a work of narrative non-fiction about Zimbabwe, The Dust Diaries, a novel, Resistance, and a novella, White Ravens.  In 2011, he wrote the script for the National Theatre of Wales’s The Passion, directed by and starring Michael Sheen.  His verse drama Pink Mist, commissioned by BBC Radio 4, was published by Faber and won the Hay Medal for Poetry 2013.

On the night the show opens at Newcastle Theatre Royal, Mon 28 April, patrons can support the Royal British Legion’s Bravo 22 Company, a theatre project for wounded soldiers, by opting to buy a £50 ticket. This ticket price includes a top price ticket and a glass of champagne with the cast after the performance.

£10 tickets for military personnel are available (restrictions apply).

The Two Worlds of Charlie F appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Monday 28 April – Saturday 3 May. Tickets are available from £9 (plus a booking fee of 95p - £1.95 will apply to most tickets) and can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 or select your own seat and book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Twitter @CharlieF_Tour
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharlieFTour
Website: http://www.charlie-f.com/