REVIEW: Pink Mist, Bristol Old Vic (Online)

2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the coalition invasion in Afghanistan. A war which killed 454 British forces, as well as affecting hundreds physically and emotionally still to this day. For a four-week limited release, the original 2015 production of Pink Mist is available for you to watch at home, thanks to the Bristol Old Vic.

Pink Mist is a powerful verse-drama about three young soldiers from Bristol who are deployed to Afghanistan. The stories, inspired by thirty interviews with returned servicemen, are brought to life by writer Owen Sheers in conspicuous style. 

We follow school friends; Arthur, Hads and Taff (Phil Dunster, Peter Edwards, Alex Stedman) as they enlist and are thrust into the realities of fighting on the front line. In doing so on this high level, they reveal the vulnerability behind their hard exterior as soldiers. There are definite points when the exterior comes down and we see that they are just young boys and this is immediately breathtaking. Stedman does a spectacular job at portraying his character Hads, who loses his legs in battle, and you can see the frustration and fear of his future etched through his entire body.

The clear transition between the three boys and their stories, each different from one another is hugely moving. It helps to add a clear dynamic and pace to the piece that would otherwise be lost. Seeing how these men shift through the many emotions that war takes a person through engages you from start to finish.

Pink Mist is easily one of the most dramatic and realistic plays of the time but with a clear message on how experiencing war not only affects the men, but their loved ones too as they try and return to some form of “normality” afterwards. In such a short space of time, you really get to know these characters and the women in their lives. 

Armed with spectacular lighting from Peter Harrison and sound from composer Jon Nicholls, this helps to emphasise the haunting atmosphere of war. You can feel those thunderous sounds vibrate all around you. The entire cast become more than performers but a main thread in telling you the boys stories on that stage, they ensure their impact is received by the audience. There are movement sequences intertwined in the voice that aligns with helping us understand the story presented to us on stage. 

Pink Mist is an intense and tragic story but done in a spectacular style, making it one of the most unforgettable pieces of theatre you’ll see this year!

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Emmie Newitt

Pink Mist is available to stream until 22 April here.