Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me

Written in 1992, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, is the story of three men held as hostages in troubled Lebanon. An Englishman, an Irishman and an American, incarcerated together, battle against what they believe is inevitable madness, through physical exercise, role playing and unite against the silent enemy just beyond the door of their small restricted world. By turns this play is brilliantly funny and utterly heartbreaking, the dialogue swings easily through the absurd as the three men engage in fantasy cocktail parties to simple reality as they 'write' imaginary letters home. As is often the case, however, it is the moments of silence that are truly powerful.

Chipping Norton Theatre is transformed into the round with the performers on a raised square stage, their small cell. Atmospheric lighting sets the scene and a light shining through a ceiling fan, the flickering of which is used to good effect as we experience the passage of time.

The cast of three actors are incredibly strong, give very credible performances and share equally in the success of this production. They work together with a kind of focus that I've rarely seen. George Banks is first-rate as the hirsute Adam, beginning strong and determined but with a perceptible tension which forewarns of his ultimate fear induced breakdown. Andrew Macklin is enormously watchable as the jocular Edward and he leads the audience beautifully along the fine line between sanity and madness as he tries to reconcile the "ridiculous" situation he finds himself in. The final captive to join the group is Michael, played by Johnson Willis. Michael initially seems to be a fey, English academic, so far out of his comfort zone that surely he will be the first to crack. I feel it would be easy to make Michael small and irritating, but I found Willis' performance very believable and moving. Perhaps he always was the strongest one there.

This is an evening of compelling and affecting theatre in a truly special and intimate space. I urge you to go and see this if you live locally, if you don't live locally get on a train, a bus, or plane and go and see this.