PROGRESS Theatre has begin its summer run of shows in earnest with its latest production, Silence of the Sea.
The play follows a man and his niece in occupied France during the early 1940s as they are forced to take in a German officer.
They stage their own resistance by refusing to communicate with the officer, but it soon becomes clear that he is a former composer, deluded by Nazi propaganda.
The play features only these three characters, centering on the officer’s uneasy imposition on his hosts as their respective nations remain at war.
Silence of the Sea itself was published secretly in Paris while under German occupation, with Bruller assuming a nom de plume, and the work became a symbol of resistance during the Second World War.
Gareth Saunders portrays the Uncle, a proud, educated French man who lives with his Niece, portrayed by Hanna Proskura.
Saunders’ performance forms the biggest part of the play’s exposition, as he monologues much of the play’s events as they happen.
His delivery and characterisation brings the depth of the character to the surface, grounding the more lofty and philosophical source material and humanising it to great effect.
Leo Burke’s portrayal of the German officer is similarly empathetic, painting the character as a complex individual struggling with respect for both his home country of Germany and France, as well as their respective cultural contributions.
He also grapples well with some of the more introspective dialogue of the character, again grounding him and making his internal conflict all the more impactful.
Hanna Proskura remains silent for much of the production, and her refusal to communicate grows deafening by the conclusion of the second half, especially to a modern audience.
Proskura’s physical characterisation, however, makes her character presence constantly front and centre, with her performance centering on her engrossing emotional reactions and tiny, well-observed expressions.
While all three are excellently cast, Proskura’s performance in particular shines through as an assured, confident portrayal which relies on purely physical expression, and is startling in its clarity and accomplishment.
The performances serve to bring the emotional impact at the heart of the story to bear– no small feat with such a small, focussed cast.
The second half begins with a vignette of the Nazi occupation of Paris featuring images and footage of German officers marching, firing squads, and Hitler to further contextualise the setting.
Overall, it contributes to a nuanced, complex play exploring not only the psyches of the oppressed and suffering French citizens, but also the complex struggles with humanity experienced by officers deluded by Nazi propaganda and the subsequent disillusion with the aims of the war.
Once again, Progress shows its love of the theatre as an art form both in its selection of source material, but in its execution of the production.
The Silence of the Sea is showing at Progress Theatre, The Mount, from Monday-Saturday, June 19-24.
Progress features a number of accessible show dates, including socially distanced performances.
Relaxed performances are adapted to make provisions for families with young children and people with physical or special needs.
Accessibility information and tickets are available via: progresstheatre.co.uk/2023-silence-sea
