Review: SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE, Southwark Playhouse

Kurt Vonnegut’s anti-war sci-fi is probably one of the most censored novels of the 20th century. Published in 1969, it’s a methodical indictment of war and a sharp critique of traditional American values. The book has been reproached for its obscene and graphic writing, the exact same reasons why it remains such a relevant and uncompromising piece of literature. Eric Simonson’s acclaimed adaptation barges into Southwark Playhouse with its unyielding message. Director Douglas Baker reinforces the story’s nature as a parable of resistance and a cautionary tale against the dehumanising practices of warfare.

A WWII soldier becomes “unstuck in time” and starts to live his life all at once. We jump alongside him from Nazi camps to alien zoos in a wild and thoroughly absorbing journey – the storytelling is hectic, but it works. Vonnegut’s scrambled narrative translates surprisingly well to the stage, urging a reflection on the illusion of time. The quirks and bleak whimsy of the original text underpin Baker’s multimedia approach. Projections toy with the audience’s perspective and alter their perception, turning the set into augmented reality for the characters.

The stagecraft relies on the graphics to add context, transporting us across Billy’s personal timeline with clarity and originality. It’s the anchor that gives coherence to chaos. Alex Crook, Ethan Reid, and Sofia Engstrand are the narrators and arbitrators, while Patrick McAndrew drifts safely in their hands as our protagonist. The trio handle a broad collection of roles with exquisite poise, elevating McAndrew’s own performance. Reid gives a particularly impressive tonal display of cruelty and sadism as Paul Lazzaro.

The novel is incredibly difficult to adapt. A staple of counterculture, Billy’s shambolic adventure develops into a meditation on humanity and mortality. It presents time not as a linear flux, but as happening all at once; Baker introduces this idea with quite exceptional simplicity. The snapshots from Billy’s life are corroborated by a strong script. The three supporting actors carry the plot, easing Billy’s temporal jumps and adding further observations and explanations for the benefit of their public.

The pace of the show is consistent, and the events portrayed are well-timed. The humour is dark and sparse, making the tone cohesive and delicately disturbing. Among all the bizarre things we see, the moments of lucidity hit hard. Whether it’s Billy’s memories from the war or the narrators’ own philosophical musings, they become brief bubbles of sense and unambiguity in an otherwise bonkers scenario.

If anything, this production reiterates that Vonnegut’s arguments are as topical as they were six decades ago. It’s easy to see why Slaughterhouse-Five has a reputation: the author puts American hypocrisy on blast with unmitigated candour. Baker has turned it into a universal study. He extrapolated its satirical and anti-establishment sentiment and transformed it into an accessible and articulated project.

Slaughterhouse-Five runs at Southwark Playhouse (Borough) until 4 July.