The Window
The Studio
The Herbert art gallery and Museum and on tour
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Conor Nolan and Corinne Emerson star in
The Window which is an evocative and intensely personal story of James
O’Neil who was born behind the weaver’s House in Coventry in August 1892
and fought and died in the military and political disaster that was
supposed to end all wars.
O'Neil was the great uncle of the writer
and director of the piece, Paul Nolan.Writing this on the 100
anniversary of Armistice day after a moving service in the War Memorial
Park in Coventry adds an additional layer to this already moving tribute
to a family that became involved in life-changing and life-limiting
events that ultimately cost the lives of millions including James
himself.
The Window, which really refers to the
stained glass in All Souls, Earlsdon, might equally refer to a window on
the past, but also to how events can be viewed from either side and this
clever idea is reflected in the staging.
Conor Nolan as James O'Neil. Picture: Robert
Wilkinson
At The Herbert Studio, which is not normally a
theatre space, the audience is positioned on two sides where necessarily
the view provided for each is radically different. The centre space
between the rows facing each other provides the ‘stage’ which is used
for Conor Nolan’s energetic performance but could also be the trench
which he spends many muddy hours learning to dig and even more muddy
hours sheltering in the onslaught from ‘Fritz’s’ guns and where a sniper
takes his life in November 1915.
To complete the family connection, Conor is Paul
Nolan's actor son, playing O'Neil, his great, great uncle.
The use of historical photographic backdrops adds
to a useful and welcome sense of context, and there is humour, particularly in the early part of
the play, as the family of five children set off on the train to Blackpool for the day, then James’ excitement at joining up and
certainty that it will be ‘all over by Christmas’ but ultimately there
is sadness.
Corinne’s contribution as his eldest sister Ivy
brings the view from the home front, where censored letters from James
home give her enough to know that things are not good. James’ vivid
dreams, with ghostly visits from his lost father, build up our hopes
that he is going to be one to the lucky ones who return to the ‘land fit
for heroes’.
There were many children in the audience and that
is always good to see. It was also clear that other audience members
enjoyed the performance and were captivated by the story-telling and
performances.
Jane Howard
10-11-18
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