Theatre / World War II
Review: The Last Picture, The Weston Studio, Bristol Old Vic – ‘Nothing short of masterful: a timeless work of art’
In place of a theatre, picture: a year 9 school trip to a museum; now a citizen of Europe in 1939; now a memory; now a new perspective. As Sam, the students’ emotional support dog, sole actor Robin Simpson guides us with grace through the story of how to navigate the darkness of modern history whilst looking towards a future “absolutely iridescent with hope”.
This one-act play from writer Catherine Dyson is truly a timeless work of art, a piece that should be seen by all generations – as poignant as it is thought-provoking.
We follow Sam as he accompanies the Year 9s to a Holocaust exhibition. Gentle anticipation builds as our crowd of 88 are head-counted, notified of the relaxed performance environment, and welcomed into this anecdotal style of theatre.
We are told who we are, where we are, and what is happening – yet not shown it. Instead, these vast descriptions are translated through the eyes of our guide, a dog there to comfort and recite without “messy human emotions”.
The power of this theatrical device, harking back to traditional storytelling, is bold, refreshing, and clear. Comedic at times, gut-wrenching at others, it’s a concept that is nothing short of beautiful – a considered performance that always allows the audience to feel and understand the situations humans are put into at times of crisis.
The Last Picture never shows us the photos in which are on display, despite the fact we are taken from one exhibit to the next. The staging is sparse, with just five chairs, occasional lighting shifts and a muted upstage curtain. It is left to Sam, our support dog, to lead us through.
How a singular actor can be able to paint pictures so clearly is breathtaking: every one of his words is placed in the room with weight and intensity, presented variously as different viewpoints (a student on the trip; their teacher; and most potently – as the people in these photographs).
Palpable shivers were felt in the room as each narrative perspective shifted to the next. But despite being thematically dark, many of the play’s singular moments are lifted by the imagery of colour. Naturally, animals cannot feel emotions in the same way that humans can understand, so we are instead taken by Sam on a whirlwind and childlike journey of “radiating pure sky blues” and “agitated pulses of citrine yellow”; the colours in the room “as red as an open heart”.
As onlookers, this prompts us to deliberate on the decisions made by civilian families living in Nazi Germany during World War II, trying to understand and rationalise what was happening. As Sam comments, “that can’t be true, can it? It’s not really any of your business, you’ve got enough troubles…” The audience were transfixed, keen to breathe in every moment of this performance and place themselves into the unfolding story.
The Last Picture explores what the human brain can digest from images. I fear all words fall short in exclaiming how provocative this single act mono-drama is. Credit must be given to the creatives who have forged such a unique, intimate and kind piece of theatre – it’s nothing short of masterful.
The Last Picture is at The Weston Studio, Bristol Old Vic on February 24-28; times vary. Tickets are available at www.bristololdvic.org.uk.
All photos: SR Taylor Photography
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
