Showing @ Summerhall, Edinburgh until Sun 24 Aug (not 11) @ 18:30 or 20:30
It’s 100 years since the start of World War One and it is the horrors of this time that The Flood depicts in a raw, abrasive and at times touching manner. The performance takes place in Summerhall, a multi-arts venue in Edinburgh that used to be a Vet School. The building has many secluded rooms and corridors and The Flood takes advantage of this, happening in a red brick musty basement, which adds to the intimacy and closeness of the piece.
We are told the story of an unnamed Soldier and his love of a Nurse. Their relationship is close and tender but it is separated by the intense physical, psychological and emotional pains of war. Their story is told in a repetitive and formulaic manner. The Nurse recounts her dreams and the Soldier delivers his thoughts and feelings through brutally honest letters which are soulfully delivered. This emotion is then broken through the loud and intense actions of the Nurse and the panic stricken reactions of the Soldier. This structure is repeated throughout, making it feel somewhat predicable and inevitable. This approach is unfortunate as it overshadows what is otherwise a heart felt and powerful performance that fires home the horrors of war.