Blackwatch essay Since its launch in February 2006, the National Theatre of Scotland has been involved in creating

more than 53 productions in over 88 different locations. The most successful of these 53 productions, is the spectacular Black Watch the story which explores many soldiers experience of war, and the long term impact it had on them. Following the Iraq war in 2004, where the Black Watch regiment were sent in to do the job the Americans could not do, the Black Watch was disbanded, after 300 years of the regiment facing many brutal battles such as the Great War. Thus inspired the playwright Gregory Burke to being working on a play about the story. Black Watch is the result; the physical, emotional, passionate piece that has stunned many audiences around the globe. When I first walked into the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, I was at once aware of the loud patriotic music playing in the background and the images of Saltires being projected along the floor. This brought to the surface the theme of patriotism, which is clearly one of the main themes of the play and is explored in more depth as the play progresses. The auditorium was surrounded by black curtains to make the room smaller. The seating was very close together and extremely close to the actors and this made the audience feel more engaged with the actors and able to establish an emotional connection with them. When the play began, a loud booming voice-over was used to introduce the play along with flashing lights which built upon the audiences expectations and created an exciting atmosphere, When all of this stopped, a young/ unimpressive figure emerged from a grey, steel industrial container opening at one end of the stage and said, Aright. Welcome to this story of the Black Watch, At first I didnay want tay day this. I didnay want tay have tae explain myself tay people ay. This sudden anti-climax demonstrates that the story of Black Watch is going to be hard hitting, and the reality of it is, that these young soldiers went to war expecting something exciting, and instead coming back scarred and unwilling to share their experiences with other people - an idea explored in more detail later on in the play. The set at either end of the stage was two-tier scaffolding installations painted brown with ladders inside it which was used throughout the play to change the location, On one side there was a large white screen also used as an entrance/exit with two plasma screens on the top left and right hand side. On the other side there is a large steel grey locker that belonged to one of the soldiers (but later on this was used as an entrance and exit) with two plasma screens to the top left and right. The fact that there are no bright colours used for this set, mostly browns and greys, creates a dark and depressing mood. The set was very much representational. The use of the pool table for both its original use and an army truck was excellent as it prevented long scene changes and kept the audience focused. The fact that the tempo of the play was non-stop, could perhaps mirror that the soldiers never got a break when out in Iraq fighting and they always had to be alert. The use of the media (i.e. the plasma screens) firstly showed the play was set in modern, present day time but it also allowed the director to project images such as the video of the night vision army base, which allowed the audience to realise exactly how it

looked instead of having to imagine it for themselves, creating a more realistic and gritty impact upon the audience. The lighting equipment was visible to the audience above the set suspended on a ceiling mounted lighting rig so the stage could be clearly lit and so the audience knew that they were a part of the performance ensuring that they were aware that this was theatre and encouraging a sense of critical detachment. There was a general white wash used mostly throughout the performance and when Cammy had a monologue (the narrator/main character of the play) spotlighting was used so the audience remain focused on him. The most intensifying moment was when the bomb went off at the end of the play. Previous to this the lighting was a slightly dim white wash and only part of the stage was lit. Then when the bomb went off there was a huge flash. Stage right was then lit up and strobe lighting was used on the three bodies, slowly falling from the top of the set covered in blood to create a very emotional and harrowing impact on the audience. An example of when lighting and acting was used together effectively was in the section named Bluey. The lighting was dimmed and a blue gel was used to create a more chilling, melancholic atmosphere. The blue light also matched the colour of the air mail that the soldiers received in the scene. In this section, no dialogue was used- just the movement and actors facial expressions and gestures were used to communicate to the audience. Before the Bluey scene one soldier dived on stage on covered his ears, and subsequently sat gripping his knees tightly and crying, which highlights the emotional impact that war had on the soldiers, and to prepare the audience for the next section. When the soldiers received their mail, instead of reading it out loud to the audience, one after the other, they used sign language to communicate what it said. This is clearly because it is a personal moment of the soldiers- this is the only connection they have to their loved ones and how everyone is doing at home without them- something that they would not want to share with anyone else. The hurt portrayed in the actors facial expressions makes the audience empathise with the soldiers and feel they hurt that they feel. The fact that the men cannot express verbally these emotions makes comment about the true nature of the war. Although it seems that these men are thrilled to be here, as shown from the humour in previous scenes, Burke has written this scene to create a sense of reality. The use of the costume in the production was simple but effective. In the sections set in the pub, the characters wore simple scruffy jeans, a t-shirt or polo shirt to convey they didnt take much pride in their appearance but also to show that underneath their strong soldier image they were ordinary blokes, they just had the horrible experience of facing death out in no-mans land. Proper soldier uniforms were used that were worn by the Black Watch regiment which created a realistic effect. In the section named Fashion costume was used very effectively, Music. A red carpet rolls out, and as Cammy narrates the following history of the Black Watch the other soldiers manoeuvre him around the stage dressing him into and out of significant and distinct uniforms from the regiments history

The use of the fast paced costume changes to inform the audience of the history of the Black Watch was very effective as instead of a long, boring monologue the costumes kept the audience engaged and they were fully informed of what each time period was like, and the uniforms used. The use of sound was effective in this performance. Traditional Scottish songs were used to show where and when each section was set. The soldiers sand old traditional songs conveying the theme of war and that it was set in the past. When the soldiers sang together there was a more uplifting atmosphere as there was a sense of brotherhood, You can talk aboot yer first royals Scottish fusiliers Your Aberdeen militia And your dandy volunteers The fact the soldiers sang these songs unaccompanied created a more subtle and silent effect and the audience could tell the songs were personal to the soldiers and it really meant something to them. The lyrics portrayed a sense of patriotism and gave the audience some background history on the Black Watch. It is a sharp contrast from the harsh reality of war and the loud, vibrant movement sequences and conveys how simple the soldiers actually are. The sound effects used were very effective such as the bombs going off- they were extremely loud and shook the entire room. As an audience member I felt as if I was actually there and it was extremely realistic enforcing us that the soldiers face the threat of a violent death on a daily basis. By the end of the play I was utterly mesmerised and uplifted. Before seeing this play I had no idea what the soldiers actually went through at war, and how war can affect someone physically and emotionally. The main themes of brotherhood and comradery, futility of war and the message that I interoperated form the production was war is wasteful and harms and kills innocent people was expertedly explored through the clever use of characterisation and the actors fantastic performance. Black Watch is clearly a huge success for the National Theatre of Scotland in a number of different ways and I will always remember the strong bond that was created between the soldiers as they experienced the horrific battlefield together.