March 23, 2009
So often it seems that solo dramas struggle to maintain a captive audience for the duration of a performance. Having an empty stage and only one actor puts a lot of pressure on the actual subject matter of the piece, which can lead to a performance’s downfall if said subject matter is lacking in interest. However this was certainly not the case for My Grandfather’s Great War, as the audience remained enthralled throughout Cameron “Jamie” Stewart’s description and re-enactment of his grandfather’s personal diaries written ninety years ago in the midst of the First World War.
After explaining the link that he always felt between himself and his grandfather, Alexander Stewart, the younger Stewart proceeds to use slides depicting both himself and his grandfather at similar ages to show that the connection is more than merely emotional and that there is a striking resemblance between the two also. Throughout the performance Stewart slips in and out of both characters, playing himself but also putting on a stern face and better-spoken accent to read extracts from the diaries, turning an empty stage into the mud-filled trenches of the Somme.
The fact that the piece is clearly very personal to Stewart has an obvious effect on the audience, who listen avidly as he describes feeling the need to “live up to Grandfather’s legacy” in his own life. The personal aspect of the performance also succeeds in emphasising the reality of life in the trenches as Stewart appears to not only want to share his ancestor's experiences, but also at times seems to be offering his own feelings about the lack of humanity present in warfare as well as the futility of many battles.
All in all, My Grandfather’s Great War proves to be a hugely touching and undeniably powerful account, which, due to Stewart’s likeable character, still manages to be both accessible and entertaining.
After explaining the link that he always felt between himself and his grandfather, Alexander Stewart, the younger Stewart proceeds to use slides depicting both himself and his grandfather at similar ages to show that the connection is more than merely emotional and that there is a striking resemblance between the two also. Throughout the performance Stewart slips in and out of both characters, playing himself but also putting on a stern face and better-spoken accent to read extracts from the diaries, turning an empty stage into the mud-filled trenches of the Somme.
The fact that the piece is clearly very personal to Stewart has an obvious effect on the audience, who listen avidly as he describes feeling the need to “live up to Grandfather’s legacy” in his own life. The personal aspect of the performance also succeeds in emphasising the reality of life in the trenches as Stewart appears to not only want to share his ancestor's experiences, but also at times seems to be offering his own feelings about the lack of humanity present in warfare as well as the futility of many battles.
All in all, My Grandfather’s Great War proves to be a hugely touching and undeniably powerful account, which, due to Stewart’s likeable character, still manages to be both accessible and entertaining.