The Jungle @ Playhouse Theatre 5*

Heading to the Playhouse Theatre this week, I was excited. Strolling across the Jubilee Bridge in the sunshine, I soaked in the sights of the Southbank Skyline, documenting them with a quick snap and a cheeky selfie, before skipping down the steps to meet some good company and grab that all important, pre-show G&T.

The call came and we went in. The atmosphere was electric.

The story unfolds (end first) and is interspersed with direct address, music and commentary. We are dunked into the world of the Calais camp, and then pulled out, every so often, reminding us to take a breath and that we are hear to watch their stories, hear their plight and feel their pain in a way that stirs us to action. It's powerfully Brechtian in many ways, and for something so purposefully political, it is gentle and compassionate, whilst packing all the right punches. The creatives know what line to draw, when to teeter us over it, and how to bring us back in, often with a humorous quip, allowing just enough time to recover and soak it all in.

Each element of this production is absolutely bang on. The acting is so meticulously executed it hits the nail on the head with and unparalleled accuracy. You really must see it! It is particularly excellent from a teacher/student point of view, as it offers a prime example of the power of theatre to communicate, making perfect use of everything at its disposal; writers, actors, directors, researchers, technicians, stage managers, designers—everyone and everything involved in making theatre happen.

Teachers—take a trip. The Jungle is, without a doubt, the most compassionate, eye-opening piece of theatre I have ever seen. It must be the most important thing on stage right now. It's witty, gritty, and poignant. At best you will leave transformed, at least you will leave stirred and at worst you will leave in denial.

Students—if your teacher's can't make it happen. Take the initiative and go yourself—beg and borrow (don't steal...). It is so worth the visit!

Suddenly that G&T did not seem all that important after all.