Review: FAR GONE, Sheffield Theatres’ Studio

Photo credit: Smart Banda

Far Gone is inspired by writer John Rwothomack’s real life experiences of being almost kidnapped by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda. It tells the story of a young boy who gets brought into the rebel group and the impact that committing horrific acts has on him.

John Rwothomack has not only written the one man play but he also performs it. The audience is in the palm of his hand from the moment they enter the auditorium. He is a great actor, being able to take on the persona of so many different characters. He is loveable as the central protagonist; he is intimidating as the General; and he impressively portrays the closeness between the protagonist and his brother.

Mojisola Elufowoju directs the play. She keeps the piece moving and the 1 hour 10-minute run time flies by. Some moments feel like they last a little too long which makes the audience feel a little uncomfortable, but this adds to the impact of the show. Akeim Toussaint Buck’s movement direction helps to clarify when Rwothomack is switching between characters but at times, simply because he plays so many different roles, it can be a little difficult to keep track of who is who.

Kevin Jenkins’ set is minimal but this works well for the show. There are very few props included in the production which means the audience has to use their imagination a lot. The audience has to actively engage and work to understand the play, which draws them into the action. They cannot passively enjoy the show which seems to be what Elufowoju and Rwothomack were going for.

Far Gone is certainly an engaging play, although at times it can be difficult to follow. Rwothomack does a fantastic job at drawing the audience into the action. It does a good job at documenting some horrific things going on in Uganda although interestingly, it doesn’t seem to have a lot to say about our actions in the UK. However, it is quite telling that in the West, many of us will never have heard of the LRA and all the horrible things that they are doing to children.

Far Gone is a dynamic and fast-moving play which runs at Sheffield’s Crucible Studio until 26 February 2022, before touring to venues across the North until April 2022. Tickets are available for Sheffield here.