Battlesong of Boudica

What I liked

I loved the sisters and their journey from petty sisterly competition to real tragedy. And the Romans all played their stock villainy with the right amount of relish!

What I didn't like

I think they did an admirable job conveying the scope of their topic in such a small space. Lots of fun! However, other than Boudica and her daughters, the celtic characters were under developed. Show would benefit from developing the reasons they want to fight or avoid fighting the romans, the internal political conflict in the tribe. Not a lot, but something that gives more of a pay-off when Boudica is challenged for the leadership, or the sacrifices the daughters make for revenge.

My overall impression

The show feels like a vivid campfire story. It’s an epic topic told in an intimate setting, and I was completely absorbed from the outset. The cast were all great, they managed to keep a fun, contemporary feeling to the story, while still conveying the horrors of war and occupation. Boudica and her two daughters keep the play grounded in genuine emotion, conveying believable family dynamics behind the mythology. They made a great use of props, including puppets ranging from the little sacrificial bunny to the huge goddess of war. There are beheadings and bloody sword fights. A lot of fun and surprisingly moving.