Originally commissioned by Acom, a South Korean theatre company, and created in 2014 by Kent folk band The Singing Loins, the often harrowing scenes of Teresa Howard’s gripping stage adaptation have been brought to life now under the excellent direction of Michael Oakley. With the addition of Rob Shepherd and Chris Broderick’s score and arrangements by Steven Edis, it makes for compelling viewing. 

Franz Woyzeck is a tortured soul and the demise of his mental health makes for difficult viewing at times, as he suffers palpable haunting flashbacks from his times at war and also suffers in the present day under the watchful eye of the military Doctor (Richard Emerson Gould), whose experiments on Franz include him living for three months on a diet of just peas and water. 

Brenock O’Connor’s portrayal of Franz is quite something, devastated by the anguish and paranoia that haunt him and struggling to deal with accusations of infidelity against his love Marie, which ultimately lead to her untimely death. O’Connor’s ability to tackle such dark and difficult themes for almost the entire show is remarkable, as he gets little to no respite or happiness throughout. 

Playing opposite O’Connor’s Franz is Jade Oswald’s wonderful portrayal of Marie. Equally challenging and gritty in parts, particularly when the twisted Varg (brilliantly played by Matthew Heywood) attempts to rape her, Oswald also brings a sweetness to Marie, which counteracts some of the harder-hitting aspects of the show. 

Some comedic scenes with dark humour are used in a similar way, which is slightly confusing at times as it takes us out of the intensity of other more serious scenes. Perhaps such humour like the swearing and crass innuendos of the soldiers is needed at times though, given how heavy and unrelenting the rest of the plot is. 

Franz & Marie’s ability to tell the tragic tale of these working-class lovers sits wonderfully against the backdrop of Bretta Gerecke’s inspired set design. The setting of the 19th-century world is brought to life with simple beige curtains and drapes taken up or down very effectively to transport us between scenes. Christopher Nairne’s increasingly ominous lighting and Andrew Johnson and Oscar Cotran’s sound design complement the set perfectly. As haze and flashing lights depict the intensity of Franz’s flashbacks, gunshots ring out and laughter taunts Franz while his mental health continues to deteriorate.

One of the real highlights of the evening was getting to see a fantastic set of 14 actor-musicians showcasing their talents and playing a catchy folk-inspired score. The large ensemble numbers, particularly at the start of act two, taking us to The Pub on the Corner, make brilliant use of such a strong cast, really filling the space and leaving lots to admire.

Overall, this powerful portrayal of intense themes is well worth a watch, as the audience is transported to an eerie world through excellent storytelling and a first-class cast.