Playwright Philip Stokes’ play Shellshocked is aptly named – not only for its feature of a young returned soldier, but for the captivating ways it haunts its audience.
The play opens with a young, polished Wesley entering the workshop of an eccentric, egotistical artist, in pursuit of an apprenticeship. As the artist – Mr Lupine – volleys off intrusive questions to the youth about his war experiences, the audience squirms with pity for Wesley.
The two actors bounce off each other so naturally, exchanging quips, anecdotes and tender moments. This classic dynamic of eager-to-please apprentice and witty, fatherlike master is intriguing in itself, but is quickly turned on its head and then back again throughout the play.
As Mr Lupine asks a cutting question, Wesley freezes mid-smile a moment too long. Wesley laughs at a joke, and Mr Lupine’s face grows dark for an uncomfortable stretch before he waves it off. These jolts between the comedic and borderline hostile cleverly create an unsettling feeling– a hint at something darker.
Around the three-quarter mark, this pattern begins to grow fatiguing and one wonders where the play is heading. Yet perhaps this was a ploy to lull the audience into a false sense of security because, several minutes later, they are surprised by an explosive finale rich with pain, anger and hope.
The emotion and passion displayed by the actors here is so raw, so desperate, that it leaves us stunned. Shellshocked is a powerful, soul-stirring play that confronts the horrors of war and the dangers of obsession.
Shellshocked — An Explosive New Play, Holden Street Theatres, until 23 March