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Review: All My Pretty Ones (Birmingham Rep)

Review by Clancy Haynes

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

My dad was a big World War II enthusiast. He had books, watched films, documentaries, the lot. My grandad, as part of the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, helped to liberate Pegasus Bridge in Normandy on 6th June 1944. I grew up in a family formed by World War II, hearing about heroic deeds, daring campaigns and terrible tragedies. I am a primary school teacher, and teach about World War II every year. Despite all this, I had never heard of the harrowing events depicted in All My Pretty Ones playing at Birmingham Rep’s The Door this week.

 


 All My Pretty Ones tells the story of the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane, which suffered unspeakable devastation in 1944, days after the Normandy landings provided hope that the Germans would be pushed back to Berlin. When the SS mistakenly believe this quiet, peaceful village to be a base for members of the Resistance, responsible for the capture and subsequent execution of a commander, they enact a collective punishment that is a shocking example of the evil that men can do.

 

The play introduces this story by using a dual timeline. We meet three present day medical students, Marie-Christine, Miriam and Steve, who are travelling to the South of France. Stranded in the middle of nowhere during a storm, they are rescued by Maurice, an old man who offers his guest house as refuge. Once there, they find the diary of a former occupant of the building and their family’s story is uncovered, as the ghosts of the past reveal themselves to the audience.

 

All My Pretty Ones was written by Patrick Hayes and produced by White Bear Productions, which was set up with the aim of broadening awareness and knowledge of European languages, history and culture through theatre and performing arts. This is evident in both the content of the play and the bold choice to pepper the script with chunks of dialogue in either French or German, pushing my GCSE language skills to their limit. However, rather than detract from the plot, it added an authenticity to it, with any important dialogue being translated for the audience (and at times the characters) in a believable manner. I was transported to 1944 and into an episode of history I knew nothing about and was at once captivated. So much so that I was moved to do further research about it on the journey home. I understand that some of the production’s creatives visited Oradour-sur-Glane as part of the process, and I do feel there is a real sense of care and dedication to ensuring this story is told to wider audiences.

 


As the story unfolds, parallels and unusual links between between the wartime occupants of the house and the three present day students are revealed. Miriam, a German, struggles with the past horrors carried out by her fellow countrymen. Marie-Christine, who is French, feels a connection to this wartime family with links to her own hometown. Steve, a Brit from Birmingham, struggles with the concept that not all heroes are on the right side of history. Maurice proves to be an almost omniscient presence throughout the play, stepping between past and present, revealing shocking truths that alter the lives of the present-day characters forever. Although the story is incredibly compelling, I felt the script for the first half of the play felt a little overblown, with some awkward dialogue and occasional exposition dumps, where audience inference may have worked better. This was particularly true of the present day sequences. However, the second half was much tighter and focused on the emotional core of what was happening, packing a powerful punch.

 

The set for the play was impressive, given the small space of the theatre. A rural farmhouse kitchen, with windows and doors to the outside, proved both cosy and ominous as you watched visitors approach and leave. At times, the stage could feel quite busy, with many players in position. This was especially true during moments where past and present collided towards the end of the play. However, clever use of lighting and freeze frame techniques (reminiscent of Powell and Pressburger’s ‘A Matter of Life and Death’) shifted the audience’s attention to where it needed to be. Paul Withers’ lighting was used effectively throughout the performance, particularly during each character’s monologue, putting a literal spotlight on their story. I was delighted to see a trio of musicians stationed at the side of the stage to provide live music throughout. Their playing was not overused and enhanced the tensions and emotions perfectly.

 


All My Pretty Ones had some impressive performances. Giles Whorton as Hans, a member of the SS, was excellent in portraying a character that you are historically compelled to hate but find yourself as charmed by as the other characters on stage. Clement James as Pierre, was haunting as a man whose hope that war was coming to an end became mixed with anger, defiance and fear. Bryony Tebbutt as Aurelie was incredibly moving in her final monologue, forcing me to shed a small tear as the realisation of what was truly happening became clear to her.

 

All My Pretty Ones tells the story of an event in World War II that you probably haven’t heard of, but you should have. The atrocities carried out are unforgivable and have a long arm. When the World Wars are discussed, we are often told that we should never forget, and this often refers to the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought. However, as this play reminds us, we should also never forget the horror that man can inflict on fellow man and that such horrors are only an ideology away. A haunting piece of theatre and a story that needs to be told.

 

All My Pretty Ones is playing at Birmingham Rep’s The Door until Saturday 17th May 2025.

 

 

 Photos by Mike Madden

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