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Regional secretary with the National Education Union
Innocents in Mostar
A promising debut that leaves glittering memories but has ducked the politics of the Croat-Bosniak conflict simmering at the time, writes MARY CONWAY
INNOCENTS? Saffron Coomber as Mina and Dino Kelly as Mili [Marc Brenner]

Old Bridge
Bush Theatre

 

FOR a play set in Mostar in 1988 and 1992, Old Bridge has surprisingly little to say about the complex allegiances and cataclysmic politics that brought mayhem to this Balkan city at a precise point in the 20th century.

Instead, it is  a very personal story of four young people who begin the play as ardent quasi-teenagers (two are 18; two 20) and end it with lives blown apart by terrifying military action that they don’t understand, even less support.

Igor Memic tore this play, which premieres at the Bush Theatre as winner of the 2020 Papatango New Writing prize, from his very guts.

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