Presented by Henry Naylor
Reviewed 16 February 2022
Henry Naylor will need no introduction to regular Adelaide Fringe goers. His plays have been winning awards for many years. They are always well written, often unsettling and superb theatre.
This play is a little different. Apparently, it was born when Naylor wanted to write a comedy play based around the political news and misinformation surrounding the Afghan war. His agent said ‘Afghanistan is not funny’. Undeterred he continued to follow his idea and decided photos of the ‘real’ Afghanistan were needed as a backdrop to this production.
With the aid of a friend who was a war correspondent he set off with a photographer, Sam Maynard, to get his authentic photos, and that’s where the story got interesting.
On a plain stage with a couple of desk-like tables and chairs, Naylor spins his tale. Using photos from the trips he explains what they discovered and how the play turned out – not quite as originally intended.
He tells the story of a hopeless war with compassion, empathy and some humour. This time not using created characters, played by skilled actors, but with his story telling skills and his ability to make us see what he feels we need to see.
Reviewed by Fran Edwards
Twitter: @franeds
Venue: Holden Street Theatres – The Studio
Season: 15 – 27 Feb 2022
Duration: 60 mins
Tickets: $15-25
Bookings: http://holdenstreettheatres.com/index.php/HST-Fringe-Programs/hst-adelaide-fringe-2022/afghanistan-not-funny-henry-naylor or https://adelaidefringe.com.au/
Rating out of 5: 5
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