South Devon, 2001. Jeff is a vet with a problem. Michael is a cattle farmer who is a problem. The two men have a begrudging respect for each other and a blossoming friendship based on sharing a fag, a nip of whisky and boisterous banter. But when Foot and Mouth sweeps through the British countryside, communities are thrown into chaos. Michael watches, in grief stricken disbelief, the shooting of his beloved cows. He also watches his friend brandish the gun. Read more …
Any lingering pathos that might be there is offset by a coarser form of co-dependence that reveals the reluctant friendship of a pair of relics who survive the worst by refusing to play dead.
And Then Come the Nightjars is a wonderful work of theatre that offers a truly captivating and emotional slice of human life and portrays it excellently with superb acting and staging.
At the end of the 75-minute running time, there’s an odd sensation of the play not having started.
Welsh and Hastings, bringing a further layer of authenticity to the play, convincingly portray the crotchety friendship between Michael and Jeffrey, which culminates in a movingly understated scene.
Modest, but impressively well-made.
On Tour, from Tuesday April 11, 2017, until Saturday April 29, 2017. http://www.horsecross.co.uk/whats-on/and-then-come-nightjars.
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