Soldier On

Back in 2014 when I still lived in Norwich I signed up to some evening acting classes, and the group of people we had were amazing, I made some good friends during those three terms.

One of those friends was performing in a play in London, so I headed across to West London (after some annoyance with the tube lines I was going to use were closed, go figure) to The Playground Theatre, below is the blurb they have on the play:

What happens when a company of ex-soldiers becomes a company of actors? A theatrical band of brothers. Although it’s not a cure all, the bonding, the humour, the theatre of war helps to put them back together again – as a company of veterans and actors rehearse a play about a company of veterans and actors. Although worlds apart they begin to realise there are more similarities between military life and the theatre than they bargained for, building a powerful new world of their own. This is a heart warming story about surviving the forces and PTSD and what happens when you leave the military ‘family’.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but what I wasn’t expecting is the emotional sledgehammer that hit me several times throughout, the realism of what both ex-military and their families go through, but also the humour, and the hope that comes with healing.

If you get the chance to go to this play (it’s on until 31st March), please do, you really won’t be disappointed at all, and if you do, say hi to Mark.

Soldier On at the Playground Theatre W10