The Land of the Living tells an absolutely fascinating story: the play opens in 1990, when Ruth (Juliet Stevenson), a former UN relief worker, is visited by Thomas (Tom Wlaschiha), who had been a displaced child in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. We don’t stay in 1990 for long, however: most of the play is set in 1945, with Ruth recounting her memories of what happened after the war was over. We establish quickly that Thomas had been in Ruth’s care as a young boy during that period, and he is now in search of answers.
It feels like a timely and urgent story to be told, and brings to mind the treatment of children who are being displaced by war (in Ukraine and Gaza) in the present day.
It also shines a spotlight on the Nazi regime’s ‘Lebensborn’ programme – an attempt to steal children with seemingly perfect features from neighbouring countries and have them adopted by German families, in order to create a ‘perfect’ Aryan super race. Ruth’s UN team uncovers evidence of the scheme and they suddenly find themselves in a moral dilemma – should these children remain with the families that raised them, or return to their parents who they may not have known for many years? Not to mention the Herculean task of reuniting families across borders, at a time when record keeping wasn’t what it is today.
Juliet Stevenson is, of course, absolutely fantastic and utterly compelling to watch – in a typically nuanced performance, we see her genuinely grappling with the dilemmas the play presents. It’s an ensemble piece and most of the supporting performances are strong, although we felt on occasion the play did revert to stereotypes – in particular the American and Soviet soldiers that are encountered along the way seemed a bit one-dimensional. It all looks and sounds great – the set and sound design both impress throughout.
We enjoyed our time with The Land of the Living, although we would likely have enjoyed it more if it were a little shorter. It runs to nearly three hours, with the second act starting to feel like it drags towards the end. It’s still well worth a visit, though – the story it tells is genuinely captivating and there’s some wonderful acting in here, too.
GAY TIMES gives The Land of the Living – 4/5
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