What I liked
The ensemble of actors is at the top of their game as they move us quickly from one moment to the next in Zeidler’s meticulously choreographed direction while allowing us into the individual minds of these vastly different warriors. Vulnerabilities are put on display with raw, emotional intensity that puts us directly in the center of the action. Charles Pacello plays our frustrated captain with aplomb; Demetris Hartman commands the stage as the hotheaded private with fiery rage; Brittany DeLynn gives us a brittle lieutenant fighting not only the battle from the sky but in the confines of a male dominated institution; Mueen Jahan as the interpreter carries the burden of explaining the intentions of the American forces to the innocent victims; Cameron Gregg is heartbreaking as our only physically wounded solider as he navigates the challenges of life back at the homestead; Derek Ocampo delivers one of the most profound speeches as the company’s medic showing us that even the most levelheaded have their breaking points; and Christopher Wood brings a sense of calm and composure to the proceedings and brings us to a much needed sigh of relief by play’s end.
What I didn't like
Like anywhere in Los Angeles, parking is always tricky. Be sure to plan your trip to the McCadden accordingly.
My overall impression
We Got Your Six is a sober reminder of the brutalities of war and the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women who fight them. Paul Hoan Zeidler’s play is a tour de force in storytelling. With nothing but an empty stage and an excellent cast of seven, the narrative of one harrowing tour of duty in Afghanistan and its aftermath sucker-punches us with a dose of reality most of us in this country never have or will experience. Zeidler had the daunting task of weaving true stories from actual veterans to create a gripping, visceral picture in just sixty minutes that one is not soon to forget. The play begins with stomps to the floor! waking us up! grabbing our attention! like a pounding heartbeat that carries us through tales of each solider as he or she justifies their tasks at hand. Theatre of war is not for the faint of heart, but this production is a must see. This is theater done right.
