Breaking the Silence

One of the good aspects of this play was the smoke effects and the cut to the chase storyline, based on an old man known to his family as ‘Master’ with his wife, son and maid all living on a train.

Good points

The effects such as the smoke, rotating train and the lighting from outside the windows of the train where all good and made the play more action packed.

The whole idea of a higher class family living on a train and the Master kicking off over him being told he was to work as a telephone examiner plus many other aspects of the play made it very funny and enjoyable to watch.

The acting and performance was fine, and I didn’t notice any slipups or mistakes, and there facial expressions suited the situations.

Bad points

A few bad points were there was only 1 set all the way through the play and it didn’t dramatically change until it was the very end.  Also the fact that the Master was trying to be an inventor of ‘film with sound’ sounds very random and unlikely and doesn’t fit in with the storyline.

It wouldn’t have been a bad idea to include the drunken train driver into the play, to make the play even more exciting and funny.

Nicholas Saldeba (Yr 10)

Stephen Poliakoff – Breaking the Silence

Breaking the Silence tells the turbulent story of the Pesiakoff family, beginning with their upheaval from their palatial Moscow home. Removed from their life of luxury and privilege, the Pesiakoff family are now forced to make a living like every other Russian family.

The play itself was very long – over three hours – however the flow and tension that the piece maintained throughout made the experience seem fast paced and exciting. In my opinion this is due – in no small part – to the magnificently crafted script by Stephen Poliakoff. The overwhelmingly dark storyline was given light and shade by the character interactions; and there were many moments of comedy also which lightened the tone of the play. I believe that Esther Richardson directed this play with the pace and power it required.

The characters within this play were entirely believable in my opinion; this is both a tribute to Poliakoff’s ability to create three dimensional characters, but also to the actors who demonstrated both brilliant understanding of their characters’, but also their incredible ability to show the change of personality each character underwent. I believe that further praise should go to Diana Kent and Philip Bretherton who played Eugenia and Nikolai respectively. Their performances were outstanding; especially in the dynamic and distressing final scene. Also Ilan Goodman presentedthe aging and maturing of Sasha plausibly and accurately to the audience. Also, the characters are all so well rounded that the audience manages to empathise with every single person.

Personally, I am usually not very impressed by static sets; I prefer to have a variety of locations to witness how characters react in their new setting. However, I feel that the set used for this play was incredible; this is because it highlights the idea that these people have just been thrown into the situation, and there is no escape. Another reason why I thought the set was perfect was the fact it was simple, but also there was intricate details within the set – nothing which should have been present was missing!

During scene changes a flying gauze was lowered from the ceiling, and smoke flooded on from the wings. During the first act a train noise was played, and flashing lights behind the gauze implied the train itself was moving. However, I was slightly disappointed by the scene changes because I could easily see the stage crew behind the gauze changing the scene; for me this ruined the illusion slightly.

A key moment in this play which stood out in my mind was the epic final scene; this is because it was written so realistically, but also Diana Kent provides a tear jerking delivery of one of the most heart felt moments of the play. Also the carriage in which the play is set moves around, with the characters shouting from within; this all creates a sense of fear and anticipation for the audience.

In my opinion, a play which encompasses as many themes and topics as this either excels or fails. Perfection is required to provide a pleasing effect for the audience; and for me, that is what I received.

For me, the piece was beautifully written, and the characters perfectly crafted and portrayed. There was a dark storyline, embroidered with moments of humour and love. In my opinion, this is a play which will appeal to anyone; and I strongly recommend it to all who can attend.

Robert Throup