BETWEEN THE CROSSES: What Is There To Talk About? – Adelaide Fringe Review

Mainstage at Bakehouse Theatre, Tue 6 Mar. [THEATRE/SPOKEN WORD – UK] BETWEEN THE CROSSES sees Will Huggins tell the story of his great-uncle Edgar’s experiences during the First World War with the Durham Light Infantry. He is assisted by the recorded voice of Edgar himself, using excerpts from an interview conducted by the Imperial War Museum shortly before his passing in 1991. The evening begins as a seemingly straightforward lecture-style presentation, blackboard and all. However, the show evolves into something much more engaging as Huggins immerses himself in the performance. The show is quite light-hearted; there are a few laughs to be had, yet BETWEEN THE CROSSES manages to powerfully convey the boredom and dread felt by young soldiers amid the uncertainty of conflict, as well as the dilemma faced by those “lucky” enough to survive. Edgar’s recorded voice seems matter-of-fact when talking about his service on the front lines, but official war records tell a different story; one that he seems to have forgotten. This non-recollection is the focal point of the story. Why is it that so many survivors of war cannot bring themselves to open up about their time spent away? Is it a deep sadness for the loss of so many friends and comrades, a sense of guilt about surviving, or simply that the horror of war cannot be conveyed in words alone? Huggins does a remarkable job. This is a very fast-moving one (well, two) man show; the dialogue flows at an impressive rate of knots yet it is delivered articulately and with much feeling. Huggins manages to combine details of the highest-level causes of the Great War, explanations of a few of his great-uncle’s offhand comments, some military history and his own recollections of Edgar. All of which provide a meaningful insight into the reasons why war is savoured by those who don’t go, yet rarely mentioned by those who do. BETWEEN THE CROSSES is Part 4 of Guy Masterson’s #LestWeForget season. 4 stars David Robinson BETWEEN THE CROSSES continues at Mainstage at Bakehouse Theatre from 9pm until Sat 17 Mar. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. #ADLFringe