Based on actual events, Thor Bjørn Krebs’ About Tommy tells the story of a UN peacekeeping force (UNPROFOR) during the 1990’s Balkan Wars, following the collapse of the former Yugoslavia. Young Danish soldier Tommy (Matthew Whitty) faces emotional difficulties caused by the complex moral issues of ‘monitoring’ a war rather than fighting in one; the violent setting is emphasised by the selective use of documentary footage of the conflict shown throughout the performance. The result is a raw, riveting take on the violent and desolate consequences of military conflict.
About Tommy moves at an unstoppable pace, giving the audience little or no chance for a breather over its 90 minute running time. The play’s instances of comic relief are brief, and often sandwiched between harsh and savage realities. No blood is shed on stage, but startling images of gore are evoked through the cast’s recollections. Mainly told in the past tense, the three actors deliver monologues describing brutal atrocities that they have witnessed. The end result is a gripping portrait of the bleakness of war.
The cold cruelty of war has been an uncomfortably familiar subject matter for centuries, having been explored by greats such as Tennyson and Whitman. About Tommy touches on similar themes, and shows how the inescapable effects of war cling to survivors long after the original conflict is over. In addition, UNPROFOR’s strict regulations for ‘monitoring’ the war offers an eerie Hitchcockian theme of ‘someone’s always watching’ that pulls the audience further into the drama.
Whitty plays the title role well, offering moral ambiguity and internal struggles that catalyse the events that eventually unfold. He is ably supported by Kate Cole and Paul Henri, who both play multiple characters, regularly changing their accents or mannerisms without notice. In particular, Henri’s interchange – performed literally at the drop of a hat – between a military captain and Tommy’s fellow comrade is seamless and mesmerising.
About Tommy efficiently utilises different mediums to create a war zone on stage. The use of multimedia is effective rather than distracting; background screens feature projected footage of the bitter ethnic conflicts, a collage of weeping women, enraged protestors and violent battlefronts. The actors occasionally interact with an additional television on stage, further emphasising the complex relationship between war and media in a consumerist society. In addition, the dark, moody lighting and loud outbursts of missiles and gunshots enhance the tense, wartime atmosphere.
About Tommy is a confronting piece of theatre. The weighty script reveals all the pain and frustrations of war, and Kat Henry’s direction offers a bold commentary on the emotional difficulties that result from living and working in such fraught environments. The exceptional use of media, combined with the actors’ spatial and physical awareness on stage, results in a compelling and unforgettable wartime drama.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
About Tommy
By Thor Bjørn Krebs
Translated by David Duchin
Directed by Kat Henry
Performed by Matthew Whitty, Kate Cole and Paul Henri
Red Stitch Actors Theatre, St Kilda
26 April – 25 May
