The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureTheatre

It is Easy to be Dead at Finborough Theatre Online

It is Easy to be Dead at Finborough Theatre Online | Theatre review
3 June 2020
Michael Higgs
Avatar
Michael Higgs
3 June 2020

For those of us looking for new inspiration during the coronavirus lockdown, the Finborough Theatre is presenting its Olivier-nominated drama It is Easy to be Dead free on YouTube until 7th July. While the play, at first, seems like your typical anti-war piece set during the First World War, it quickly becomes apparent that it is so much more than that: Neil McPherson’s writing mixes some excellent prose of his own with Charles Hamilton Sorley’s undeservedly forgotten poetry and witty letters, and finishes it off with some gorgeous music by a range of composers from the early 20th century and before. The result is a beautiful and moving homage to Sorley which won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

McPherson’s tribute highlights the poet’s life, letters, and poetry, resulting in a well-rounded portrayal of a character who yearned for life and had a passion for language and culture, and the show does it in such a way that one cannot help but get swept away by his story.

Sorley – according to Robert Graves “one of the three poets of importance killed during the First World War”, along with Wilfred Owen and Isaac Rosenberg – spent a year in Germany after having been educated at Marlborough; there he fell in love with the country’s region, culture, and people. As the war broke out, he found himself in a troubled situation; how does one go to war against a country which one has learnt not to demonise in the way one’s fellow brothers-in-arms do?

Sorley’s story is brought lovingly to life through McPherson’s clever use of primary and secondary materials, and Alexander Knox’s passionate portrayal as the poet is spectacular. On top of that, a humble and highly effective stage design by Phil Lindley and an atmospheric use of music by Elizabeth Rossiter turn it into quite a memorable ride indeed.

The play’s title is taken from Sorley’s Sonnet XXXIV, and given how forgotten he has become, it is perfectly fitting in more than one way. It is Easy to be Dead is more than just another anti-war play: it’s an emotional, justified and full depiction of a poet who needs to be remembered, and it succeeds in every way. An absolute must-see.

★★★★★

Michael Higgs
Photo: Scott Rylander

It is Easy to be Dead is available to stream on YouTube from 7th May until 7th July 2020. For further information visit the Finborough Theatre’s website here.

Related Itemsfeaturedreview

More in Theatre

An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories

Selina Begum
Read More

A Livestream with David Bedella at Crazy Coqs Online

★★★★★
Regan Harle
Read More

Undercover at Morpheus Show Online

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Playing ON: An interview with Jim Pope on life-changing theatre

Georgia Howlett
Read More

Sunset Boulevard at Curve Theatre Online

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More

Hip Hop Cinderella

★★★★★
Catherine Sedgwick
Read More

Theatre in 2020: a recap (and an outlook for 2021)

Michael Higgs
Read More

A new world of theatre: Aimie Atkinson on groundbreaking theatre platform Thespie

Ezelle Alblas
Read More

Dick Whittington at the National Theatre

★★★★★
Samuel Nicholls
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Theatre review

Michael Higgs

It is Easy to be Dead

★★★★★

Dates

7th May - 7th July 2020

Price

Free

Links & directions

TwitterInstagramFacebookWebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Outside the Wire
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • You Me at Six – Suckapunch
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories
    Theatre
  • Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • Persian Lessons: Exclusive new clip
    Cinema
  • Jeremiah Fraites: Piano Piano
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Quo Vadis, Aida?
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Lonely the Brave – The Hope List
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ten short literary collections to get you back into reading
    Literature
  • Mayor
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Lady Gaga – Chromatica | Album review
Echo in the Canyon | Movie review