The horrors of the World War II still haunt many people to this day. Some lost family, others died, many were tortured, and others even experimented on. With all the casualties that plagued the earth as a result of the German’s lust for power, it’s often forgotten the more trivial problems that some families faced during the war. One such example, would be family separation. In the play Over There, which had its debut in 2009, this subject matter is addressed first hand. As families can be separated, and someday meet again, Over There shows the challenges of what it takes in reconnecting with estranged family.
Over There shows the challenges of what it takes in reconnecting with estranged family.
Twin brothers, one grew up in east Germany and the other the west, in a story that takes place twenty-five years after their mother took one away and left the other. After all this time, twins Karl and Franz meet in a post war world in the hopes of connecting with one another and sharing the ideologies that have shaped them as young adults. The twins are played by actual twins Harry and Luke Treadaway in performances that can almost only be described as abstract. The setting consists of one room, a few chairs, lots of boxes, a sponge who resembles Franz’s son, and different cans of food. Everything in the play takes place in this one area without the set really changing, with just the two actors utilizing the plethora of objects they have on stage at their disposal for any and all things.
This isn’t a typical play, so for those interested in the ‘normal’ plot structuring of most stage productions this will be something different. The dialogue is also not standard when concerning most contemporary pieces, but Over There operates in a style all its own. The two brothers perform at high energy levels and even the way most people gather twins behave around one another: fast talking, finishing each other’s sentences, saying things in unison, DOING things together in unison, and connecting on a uniquely different plane than most siblings do. Once the show begins as well, neither actor leaves the stage. They are both there from start to finish, hitting the tennis ball back and forth over the net, as it were. The play also appears directed in a way to add as much shock value as possible in seeing the things both brothers do whilst performing, such as masturbation, pouring food and other liquids on each other, getting naked, and discussing intimate details that aren’t necessarily commonplace amongst most family members.
There’s no doubt, Over There is a different animal when it comes to stage plays. It’s definitely not boring, and it has a deep moment or two, but it’s also not a play that could be defined as ‘realism’. Which is ok, because it does not appear that was the goal. Directed by both Ramin Gray and the play’s writer Mark Ravenhill, the play was staged at the Royal Court Theatre but can be streamed at digitaltheatre.com
