Belgrade, 1914. Three young recruits are given a seemingly simple mission: assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand. We follow them from their initial meeting through to their train ride to Sarajevo and watch their manipulation unfold.
The play by Rajiv Joseph is an interesting exploration of the manipulation and the radicalisation of young men. In the first scene where we meet Gavrilo and Nedeljko they are worlds away from the kind of young men you can envisage killing the Archduke for political reasons but as the play progresses Apis, the Captain of the Serbian Army demonstrates the many ways vulnerable young can be drawn into extremism. Promises of significance, political purpose and even something as basic as regular meals all become powerful tools of persuasion. No one answer is provided as to the reason the 3 men get on the train to carry out Apis’ bidding and this demonstrates the complexity of the matter at hand. Although set in 1914, its examination of vulnerable young men searching for a purpose feels striking contemporary.
Whilst the shows premise sounds deadly serious Rajiv Joseph roots much of the play in dark comedy. The banter between the young men, the focus on pudding when matter of murder is being discussed and much more. At times however the humour undercuts the moments that should have landed with greater emotional weight, preventing the play from fully confronting the consequences of what these young men are preparing to do. The scenes themselves also jarred, and whilst I knew where the story was going (thanks very much GCSE History) the route it took didn’t always serve the themes in the most powerful way.
The set, designed by Es Devlin was particularly effective giving it a feel of an underground tunnel or bunker as it bent off towards the wings and the audience never quite sure what it was leading to or where it had come from. This was at its most effective in the opening scene but in later scenes, such as when a train cart sat in it, it became clear what the tunnel was and where it was going from and to the whole time.
The cast of 5 all gave memorable performances. Gavrilo, the young 19 year old was played by Stanley Morgan. Morgan charts Gavriol’s transformation from an anxious teenager to someone increasingly committed to the Captain’s cause with impressive subtlety. Nedeljko was played by Chris Walley and it is Walley’s opening scene with Morgan that is the highlight of the show, the discovery of each other and the curiousness about their meeting that provides the show with a strong start. Walley brings an affecting vulnerability to Nedeljko, making him perhaps the clearest example of how easily insecurity can be exploited. The third and more established boy, Trifko was played by Abraham Popoola and becomes Captain’s enforcer. His character is more of a mystery than of Gavrilo and we never really learn how he has ended up in the Captain’s employment.
Apis aka the Captain was played by Marc Wooton and whether intentionally or not, the script never quite settles on if Apis should be genuinely menacing or absurdly comic, leaving the character feeling tonally inconsistent. Finally the Captain’s cook, and often the voice of reason Sladjana was played by Janice Connolly. There were moments that I would have loved for her character to be explored further. The script hints that Sladjana is more perceptive than anyone else on stage but never quite explores her role deeply enough to capitalise on the intrigue. Collectively the performances don’t always feel as though they inhabit the same production. Some lean heavily into caricature whilst others peruse naturalism, creating tonal inconsistencies that mirror some of the play’s wider structural issues.
Archduke is undeniably thought provoking, particularly in its examination of how easily vulnerable young men can be manipulated into extremism. There is plenty to admire in Rajiv Joseph’s writing, Es Devlin’s atmospheric design and several excellent performances. Yet the play never quite finds the balance between farce and tragedy, with its humour too often diluting the emotional and political weight of its central ideas. It remains an engaging evening that asks worthwhile questions even if it doesn’t always land them with the impact it promises.
Archduke is playing at the Royal Court Theatre until 25th July. You can find out more and book tickets here.
If you like this review you might also like my review of Are You Watching, 1536 and Redcliffe.