It is a testament to the skill of both the writing of Bill Cain and the acting of Joshua Collins that one can feel anything but utter disgust towards the character of Private Daniel E Reeves. But it is impossible to view Private Reeves through only one lens.
The Park Theatre in Finsbury Park hosts the European premiere of 9 Circles. The play is written by Bill Cain, the writer of House of Cards and directed by Guy Masterson, director of The Shark is Broken. 9 Circles is based on true events, focusing on a repatriated US Army Private that is accused of war crimes. The character of Private Reeves is based upon Steven Dale Green, who committed appalling acts, but the play asks the question – does the blame entirely rest with him, or the army that put weapons into the hands of a clinically disturbed 19-year-old?
The 9 Circles through which Private Daniel E Reeves (Joshua Collins) travels are not those of hell that Dante experiences but instead various interactions with lawyers, pastors and psychiatrists. Daniel doesn’t seem to have much of a sense of reality outside these conversations and is often confused by the roles these other people play in his life. We are introduced to Daniel in the first circle as he is discharged from the military, but for reasons not yet clear. The audience later learns that while Daniel has knowledge of the barbaric crimes he has committed, it is clear that he does not understand them as anything beyond what his duty required.
These crimes are the murder of an Iraqi man, woman and child and the rape and subsequent murder of a another 14-year-old Iraqi girl. While the play asks us to consider conflicting ideas about blame and justice, the ghastly nature of his crimes is never questioned. Others have been critical of the play as it tells this story from the perspective of the soldier, and doesn’t give much time to the victims. It is of the utmost importance that their stories are told, but this one is not theirs and that does not mean it is less valuable.
Often stories of crime and justice are told in a individualistic manner. One person commits a crime and their trial alone gives justice to the victims. That rule book is well and truly thrown out here. The play is almost entirely comprised of conversations between Daniel and one other person but each conservation forces us to consider how the institutions and cultures surrounding the characters influence the way they act.
Each circle compels the audience to shift blame from one person to the next. In one, we learn how his prior convictions should have prevented Daniel joining the Army, but a recruiter waived the standard requirements and enlisted Daniel anyway. A man who is unfit for service now serves in the US Army. Do we blame the recruiter or the person setting the recruitment quotas that must be met? In another circle, an army lawyer argues that the United States government should never have invaded Iraq. Violence takes Iraq by storm. Do we blame the soldiers for going beyond their remit or those who placed them there to begin with?
It becomes apparent that this shifting of blame leads nowhere and so it must stand to reason that it cannot be as simple as: one man in prison means justice for victims.
Daniel Bowerbank, Samara Neely-Cohen, and David Calvitto each play multiple characters across the different circles and all bring varying levels of intensity and emotion to their roles which gives the play a fantastic flow. Calvitto, in particular, brings a much need snap of levity to some scenes, with expertly balanced humour that doesn’t distract from the seriousness of the material.
The staging is incredibly simple which, along with being performed in a round, lends to the intimacy of the interaction of the actors. The play has no interval, something I believe there needs to be a good reason for and this has one. The intensity from start to finish holds strong and keeps the audience entirely gripped throughout. The play is thought provoking, and shows that there is no simple answer when it comes to justice.
Sometimes theatre can absolutely just be fun but sometimes it goes further. 9 Circles is the kind of theatre production that feels deeply important, as well as being a fantastic night out.
{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}
2 Star Review 3 Star Review 4 Star Review 5 Star Review 2022 2023 Adaptation Almeida Cabaret Camden Fringe Cast Announcement Christmas Comedy Dance Drag Edinburgh Fringe Edinburgh Fringe Interviews Fringe Immersive Interviews Jukebox Musical LGBTQIA+ Lyric Hammersmith Manchester Musical New Musical News New Wimbledon Theatre North West Off West End Park Theatre Play Review Revival Richmond Theatre Round Up Royal Court Theatre Shakespeare Show Announcement Show Recommendations Soho Theatre Southwark Playhouse Touring Production VAULT Festival West End
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2 Star Review 3 Star Review 4 Star Review 5 Star Review 2022 2023 Adaptation Cast Announcement Comedy Dance Edinburgh Fringe Edinburgh Fringe Interviews Fringe Interviews LGBTQIA+ Manchester Musical News New Wimbledon Theatre Off West End Park Theatre Play Review Revival Shakespeare Show Announcement Southwark Playhouse Touring Production VAULT Festival West End
