The P.O.W. and the Girl

Reviewed by Iris Mann
Sherry Theatre
Through February 16

This tale of a young woman living with her grandfather, a British World War II vet suffering from PTSD, seems intriguing and full of promise. But the combination of a predictable story and a lackluster production leaves our expectations unfulfilled. What should be highly impactful due to the weighty theme lacks any real punch. The spectator is neither drawn into the proceedings nor involved with the characters, and so is left emotionally unaffected. There is also an unfinished quality to the production, as though it were still in the rehearsal stage.

Playwright Katrina Herbert Wood based her story, in part, on her life with her father, British actor Percy Herbert. During the Second World War, Herbert was a prisoner in Changi, a brutal Japanese camp considered the “death camp,” because thousands of British, American and Australian servicemen died after being forced to build the Burma Railway. Herbert was also on the detail compelled to erect the bridge on the River Kwai. (Coincidentally, when the war was over, one of Herbert’s first roles was in the film The Bridge on the River Kwai.)

In Wood’s scenario, set in London during the 1980s, the P.O.W. (Chas Mitchell) is an angry man who constantly belittles his granddaughter, Sarah (Samantha Mallory), a high-spirited young woman bent on becoming a paramedic and given to playing video games. Revelations come in the form of flashbacks, as the grandfather has nightmares and goes back in his mind to scenes from the prison camp and to memories of a wartime love.

At one point, Sarah is mauled by a tough bully (Lucas Helmersson) and saved by Paul (Adrian Burks), a kind young man who has his own troubled home life. The two go on to form a close bond, and there is some resolution to Sarah’s relationship with her grandfather.

The potentially meaningful material receives a flat, monotonously paced rendering from director Trace Oakley, one totally lacking in any dramatic tension. He also seems to have misdirected many in his cast.

Mitchell’s performance is virtually unvarying and one-note throughout the evening. In addition, he begins on such a heightened level that he has nowhere to go from there and is unable to build an emotional arc.

Mallory has a vivacity and liveliness that are pleasing, but she needs to find more shadings and colors in her work. She also seems on the verge of hysteria too much of the time. For his part, Burks projects a sweetness that is appropriate to his character, but, perhaps in an attempt to appear insecure and vulnerable, he becomes spasmodic, with movements that are often jerky and distracting.

Helmersson is properly menacing, while Natalia Bilbao is notably sympathetic as Alice, the grandfather’s wartime sweetheart. When playing two different mothers, however, she tends to go over the top.

The set by Aaron Glazer is particularly ineffective and too crowded for the Sherry’s small space. A more minimalist approach might be an improvement. There is a record player placed downstage that partly obscures the audience’s view. A different arrangement would be helpful.

All in all, this is a missed opportunity.

The Sherry Theatre, 11052 Magnolia Blvd., N. Hollywood; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 5 p.m.; through Feb. 16. (800) 838-3006 or https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3742908. Running time: 80 minutes with no intermission.