Review ...
Living the
post-war tensions of paras

The time is the summer of 1982.  The Falklands War is over.

Five British paratroopers have returned to the UK.  Welcome Home explores the post-traumatic stress of the five following their wartime experiences and the death of their comrade.

The situation is tense and feelings run high.

The stunning set provides the perfect backdrop for this highly charged drama directed by the talented Barry Taylor.

Atmospheric nostalgia is provided by well chosen music from the 1980's, and the set changes are run with military precision by uniformed stagehands.

Attention has been paid to the smallest of details in this slick and thought-provoking production.

The cast live up to the vision of their director.

Kim Harris is excellent as the


POIGNANT: The soldiers played by (from left) Ross Lowe,
Ben Lawrence, Paul Wilson, Phil Simcox and Kim Harris
hard-nosed slightly sadistic corporal determined to give his comrade an army burial.

Phil Simcox is believable as hot-tempered Private Walters.

Ben Lawrence provides a truly poignant moment when he describes how his toddler son no longer knows him.

Paul Wilson is a joy as Goldy Wilson, the brittle and disillusioned best friend of the dead soldier.

Ross Lowe is truly brilliant as the fragile Polo Thompson who hides in 		his music to escape the memories of the conflict he has taken part in.

The gripping climax will have you on the edge of your seat.

Welcome Home is another triumph for Fourblokes and a must-see for Derby theatre-goers who want to appreciate Derby Theatre at its best.

Fiona Watson | Derby Telegraph | November 2006

 

... and more


TOUGH DRAMA: From left; Phil Simcox, Paul Wilson, Ben Lawrence and
Kim Harris of the Fourblokes Theatre Company.

Fourblokes in rehearsals


Buoyed by the success of a production of the comedy Bouncers, the newly formed Fourblokes Theatre Company is in rehearsals for its second offering entitled Welcome Home.

Written by Tony Marchant, Welcome Home is an uncompromising and gritty play which is set in 1982 in the aftermath of the Falklands conflict and tells the story of five members of the Parachute Regiment bringing the body of a fallen comrade home to Britain.

Kim Harris from Marlpool, Paul Wilson, who lives in Ilkeston, Phil Simcox of Smalley, Ross Lowe from Long Eaton and Ben Lawrence, a member of the Derbyshire Shakespeare Society, make up a talented cast.

To get in character for their parts as paras, three of the cast, Kim, Paul and Phil, were invited to visit the Haircrew Salon in Heanor Road, Ilkeston, where hairdresser Claire Warriner gave them an impressive military look.

Welcom Home is being staged on Friday and Saturday November 24 and 25 at 7.30pm each night at the Guildhall Theatre, Derby.




A CUT ABOVE: Claire Warriner of Haircrew with Fourblokes Theatre Company members Phil Simcox (left), Paul Wilson and Kim Harris (right).

Theatre group ready to take on hard drama

The Fourblokes Theatre Company will bring more edgy theatre to the city when it takes on a heavyweight drama looking at the effects of war.

Welcome Home, set in 1982, looks at the aftermath of the Falklands War through the eyes of a group of returning paratroopers.  Company member Ross Lowe is looking forward to getting his teeth into the role.

"It's a Tony Marchant play and he usually tackles quite hard-hitting subjects," says Ross.  "It's about five paratroopers returning from the Falklands to bury their friend.  It's quite a tough piece."
 "Through the play we look at how the Falklands War affected the men.  Each of them has been affected in different ways.  So the play questions the whole perceptions of the war.  It's a very difficult piece of theatre to put together and it's been a lot of hard work.  But that was what Fourblokes is all about.  It was that desire to do something different and break away from the norm."

In March this year Fourblokes put on their very first production, Bouncers which proved to be a huge success.

"It sold out the Guildhall two nights in a row" says Ross.  "So this is like that tricky second album."

Derby Telegraph | Friday 24th November 2006


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