Written in 1836 Woyzeck is a play about the common man, lust, betrayal, murder and finally justice and the young cast from Oikos Theatre embrace these themes with passion and commitment.
They perform in the round with confidence and assurance. Caz Holmes is the excellent narrator who has a sound affinity with the audience in retelling this powerful story.
Woyzeck, strongly played by Benny Ainsworth, is a simple soldier living with his common law wife Marie. They have a child but Marie betrays Woyzeck for the upright drum major and finally Woyzeck seeks his revenge on Marie that ends in tragic bloody deaths
Alex Crump-Hail is commendable as the compulsive-obsessive Doctor who conducts unethical experiments on poor Woyzeck feeding him a diet consisting only of peas. Woyzeck slowly becomes deranged, plagued with hallucinations and philosophising about the meaning of nature.
This was an impressive production skilfully directed by Jules Crossley.