Canned Goods

Southwark Playhouse Borough

Intense interactions with the audience, making them feel like the prisoners. The story line is fragmented and you struggle to create a connection with the characters.

Theatre that educates is imperative and this piece is sucessful in this aspect. 'Canned Goods' is based on a true operation organised by the Germans pre-World War Two. You will leave having learnt something, and the message this piece puts across is important. The show is centred around three men that are imprisoned and prepared for being a part of a staged attack. The audience get to know the men, as they one by one go through their life stories, question why they are there and what their fate is. It is set in a prison in Germany, and it is performed in 'the round' staging.

Visuals in the piece are interesting. The costumes for the guards create the military theme and are well done. That being said, the prisoner's costumes do not seem to present the idea that they have been imprisoned and live in the conditions of a prison. The only understandable costume is Honiok the farmer's, he wears clothes that give the impression of a farmer and as he had only just been imprisoned it's clear why his clothes would be neater than the others. There are moments between scenes where a microphone drops from the ceiling and Tom Wells, who plays Honiok holds the microphone, puts on a red arm band with the nazi flag on it and recites speeches as Hitler. The band signifies that his character has changed, and the spotlight shows that this is a change of scene. However, it is difficult to hear what he is saying, it fragments the structure of the show and the energy drops.

The setting and use of the stage makes it difficult to connect with the characters in the piece. As it is set in 'the round'; the direction of where the characters move does not balance out facing each area of the audience. Making it hard to have a full picture of key moments, uncomfortable from turning round and non-verbal mannerisms are lost. It feels closed. Whilst it gives the sense of a prison, it disengages the audience and prevents them from creating a connection with the characters. You feel like you aren't in the prison with them, even though it feels like that's the aim, from the guard and characters interacting with the audience. You feel like you're on the outside looking in. Areas of the audience also seem to spend most of the performance with the actors backs to them. The way it is written feels it is giving the prisoners their voices, stories and memory. However, because it feels they are taking it in turns to tell their stories it becomes disengaging. The strong moments are when they are talking with each other. For instance, they have arguments, fights and get to know each other. This is engaging, because it's realistic and natural.

The acting standard varied, but when it's a piece set in Germany, and they all have different accents and some put on German accents for one moment it takes you away from the piece. Dan Par plays SS Major Naujocks and his intimidating, powerful, uncaring character is intriguing. He owns the stage when he enters, which shows his controlling persona. He addresses the audience and the end where he puts the audience on the spot is very well done. All actors clearly worked hard and they all have their strengths. If there are German accents they should either do it the whole time or not at all, it just makes it confusing.

The piece is long, moments feel stretched out and over explained. There's so much room for non-verbal moments that would be clearer and less spoon fed to the audience. Their stories and scenes would be stronger if it wasn't set in the round, and the characters had more moments for interaction. There is a moment the guard walks into the cell, but he doesn't open it, this moment felt careless, because it made you feel the characters could just get out. Movement of the characters should be opened up. This piece has potential and is a diamond that just needs chiselling out. The message is so important and relevant to what is going on in the world; you learn so much from the piece, it just needs more power and a connection to the characters. It feels insane that the ending, when they are a part of the operation, I wanted to feel something for the characters; I wanted to feel moved and shocked. This could be amazing, and it has so much potential. This is a hard hitting story, the audience needs to be hit with it.