Brutally honest reminder of the horrors of war in Minefield at HOME

Debbie Manley | 13th April 2018

History is written by the winners, is the quote that is often bandied around. But in the case of modern wars history is often written by the media and the government’s propaganda machine. In fact are there ever any winners in war?

In the play Minefield by Lola Arias, six Falklands/Malvinas war veterans who once faced each other across a battlefield now face each other across a stage.

Lou Armour (pictured above) was on the front page of newspapers when the Argentinians took him prisoner on 2 April 1982. He later appeared on a television documentary in the 1980s and wept for an Argentina soldier who died in his arms. He admitted he felt embarrassed about showing his emotions. Now he is a teacher for children with learning difficulties.

David Jackson spent the war listening and transcribing radio codes, now he listens to other veterans in his role as a counsellor.

Sukrim Rai was a Gurkha and expert with his knife, who fought with the British army, but was not allowed to live in Britain after the war. He ended up travelling the world and now he works as a security guard.

While they signed up for the army, the Argentina soldiers were conscripted. All were shocked by what they saw and suffered for years afterwards and found it hard to settle back into civilian life.

Gabriel Sagastume was a soldier who never wanted to shoot a gun, now he is a criminal lawyer.

 

It was really revealing to see the other side of the story in the Argentinian magazines, collected by the father of Marcelo Vallejo, a mortar direction controller and now a triathlon champion.

In contrast to the gung-ho rhetoric that was reported in the British media and the infamous Gotcha! headline on The Sun, we heard how Ruben Otero survived the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano and was left floating in his lifeboat hoping that someone will eventually find them.

The Belgrano was outside the exclusion zone and 323 died hat day. Now Reuben is in a Beatles tribute band – and has even played Liverpool, although he confessed he avoided mentioning the war.

Together they shared memories, films, songs and photos, as they recall their collective war and embody the political figures that led them into it.

These vets are now in their 50s and it is remarkably moving to hear them talking so openly about their battles with mental health issues and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder since the war ended.

Minefield was brutally honest and a sharp reminder of the horrors of war, in this time of posturing on social media. It made the audience gasp in places and received a standing ovation.

It was so well produced that it felt like they were professional actors – but these are real life veterans, telling their real life stories with humour. We felt moved as well as learning something new about a period of history that no-one seems to talk about anymore.

The play was in Spanish and English, with subtitles above the stage, and is part of the Viva festival at HOME. It was an hour and 40 minutes long with no interval but it flew by, always a sign of a good production.

It is on Friday 13 April and Saturday 14 April at 7.30pm. There is a post show discussion after the Friday night show. Tickets cost £10-£24 (concessions available). Suitable for age 14+. For more details and tickets visit homemcr.org/production/minefield/

Other highlights include Olivier award-winning and Grammy-nominated godfathers of alternative cabaret The Tiger Lillies: Corrido de la Sangre from Friday 20 April – Saturday 5 May. Tickets from homemcr.org/production/tiger-lillies-corrido-de-la-sangre/

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Minefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonMinefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonMinefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonMinefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonMinefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonDavid Jackson in Minefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonMarcelo Vallejo and David JacksonLou Armour in Minefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonLou Armour in Minefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonMarcelo Vallejo in Minefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonMarcelo Vallejo in Minefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram KentonMinefield by Lola Arias ©Tristram Kenton