Paul T Davies reviews Forget Me Nots now playing as part of the Edinburgh Fringe 2018.
Forget Me Nots
Army@ The Fringe (Drill Hall). Edinburgh Fringe
19 August 2018
3 Stars
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Throughout this year’s Fringe, in conjunction with Summerhall, the Army are presenting a number of LGBTQ plays, an excellent initiative. Set in British occupied Iceland in the 1940s, it’s the story of a young Icelandic man who falls hopelessly in love with a British soldier. This was a taboo subject then, and it is further complicated by his friendship with his female best friend and the expectation that they will marry. There were so many relationships between same sex couples that it was known as The Situation.
From this intruding time of history comes this production, a fusion of movement and text that explores the three way relationship between the two men and their female friend, who understands their situation. After she weds the Icelandic man, she even has a baby by the British soldier, who, years later, gets to meet his son and be reunited with his lover.
The trio of performers are very good, and the choreography and text are woven together seamlessly. Yet I felt the female role was very under developed. She speaks almost entirely through movement, and I wanted to know what she REALLY thought about The Situation. The men report her words and actions, and I felt this created an unequal triangle. The piece was also very short, and I felt it skimmed over the surface of a fascinating subject.
