REVIEW: CANNED GOODS @ SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE (BOROUGH)

🎭 Canned Goods

📍 The Large, Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London, SE1 6BD 

🗓 Monday 20th January 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

AN ENGAGING STORY TOLD WITH HEART

CANNED GOODS takes place in 1939 on the border between Poland and Germany. Fascism is rising and Hitler is devising a plan using some of his own unwilling civilions - the Canned Goods. He pland to stage a Polish attack on a German radio station, thus giving him a legitamate reason to invade Poland.

Honiok is a German farmer who is struggling to understand the reasons he's been arrested and although his guard seems somewhat friendly, SS Major Naujocks is a forceful capteur who denies him a priest and has a clear endgame in sight. In the opposite cell is janitor Kruger and Jewish philosopher Birnbaum. But what connects these three very different characters? And why are they here? And will, as they suspect, they be ultimately killed?

The audience wrapped around the stage and it created a real intimacy which helped us to embrace the storytelling, which in itself was done very well. Aided by superb lighting design to enhance the atmosphere, the story was told extremely well and was engaging from the start.

Dan Parr was exceptional as SS Major Naujocks. He was commanding and seemed to revel in his utter evilness. This somehow made him endearing, even though he is bitterly unlikeable. Parr has a wonderful stage presence which just makes you want to watch him whenever he's present. This was a piece of perfect casting.

Rowan Polonski was loveable as bad boy Kruger while Charlie Archer completely embodied the character of Birnbaum. Parr, Polonski and Archer created a sensational trio and were all believable. The final member of the cast was Joe Mallalieu. He experty multi-roled and was very clear and different as each character which is to be applauded.

With all the unrest in the world at the moment, this play seemed so poignant and stirs emotions. You leave the space with a busy mind, processing the true story you have just seen and the unintended comparisons with the current climate. The way the play ended had the entire audience transfixed in silence and even though it wasn't a surprise, it was still somewhat disturbing.

Creatively brilliant CANNED GOODS is definitely worth experiencing, and it tells a story of a pivitol moment in history that is actually not that well known and delves into propoganda and the manipulative 'fake news' culture we know so well today.

Performances continue at Southwark Playhouse Borough until Saturday 8th February, and I highly recommend getting yourself a ticket. Click here for more details and to book.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Canned Goods was gifted by Chloe Nelkin Consulting who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Dan Parr as SS Major Naujocks; Charlie Archer as Birnbaum; Tom Wells as Honiok; Rowan Polonski as Kruger; Joe Mallalieu as Guard/Heydrich/Muller

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 25 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Nazi symbolism; Gun imagry; Gunshots; Blood imagry; Depictions of murder; Imprisonment