[Ad- gifted experience] I am known to go to a bunch of plays, but have never actually been to the Charing Cross Theatre. This is one of the smaller, London theatres, that packs a big punch in terms of stage presence despite being a smaller sized room. The seating is arranged well, the bar is well stocked, and it felt like a great place to view a stage. Myself and my friend Sophie went along to see Franz and Marie – an intense musical – at the Charing Cross Theatre.
Franz and Marie is a new musical inspired by Georg Buchner’s Woyzeck. It’s set in the late 19th century, in Europe, during wartimes. Following a platoon of young soldiers who have been isolated at outposts for months, waiting for further orders and to understand their role within this war. One of the men, Franz Woyzeck, is having a particularly challenging time due to PTSD. He’s haunted by thoughts of death and moments in battle. This is something that was showcased beautiful in the performance, using fog, flashing lights and color to show when Franz is having a flashback and when he is in reality.
On top of the PTSD, Franz is also being experimented on, by the army doctor, who has made him eat only a handful of peas for several months. That’s resulted in him losing weight, being unable to take on the strength tasks needed, and he’s not very clear of mind. On top of all of this, his partner Marie has just had a baby (out of wedlock, due to the captain of the crew not allowing them to get married), which is why he is doing experiments – for the extra pay.
The amount of fantastic performances, both in acting and in the musical aspect of Franz and Marie, was so well done. The use of layered curtains on the stage was such a great use of space. All of the actors played several different instruments. The ones that sang were so talented in their songs. The show had a mix of up beat songs and more intense songs, that matched what was going on at each point. There are some intense moments within the show, which are beautifully done and really felt emotional and impactful. It was a fantastic musical and well worth watching.
You can check out our other Days Out to see what else we’ve been up too!