Black Watch: genre

Genre of Black Watch

Black Watch is a piece of documentary drama; this genre primarily presents facts and actual events in a theatrical context.
It relies on first-person accounts, interviews and historical records to bring real events or stories to the stage.
When studying Black Watch, it is pivotal to understand the real-life basis of the play; it is based on interviews conducted with soldiers who served in the Black Watch regiment in Iraq.
This means that it intertwines factual content with artistic interpretation; the events are real, but they are portrayed in a dramatic style to engage the audience.

Black Watch is a strongly political piece of theatre and could also be considered as political theatre.
It engages with the Iraq war and the controversial role of the UK in that conflict.
It presents a range of perspectives and opinions on these topics by putting the soldiers’ voices to the fore and showing their experiences in unrelenting detail.
Its political nature becomes evident in the way it handles themes such as nationalism, sacrifice, and the purpose (or futility) of the war.

Also, Black Watch features elements of verbatim theatre, a sub-genre of documentary drama.
Scenes have been created from soldiers’ testimonies, resulting in dialogue that incorporates the soldiers’ own words, often verbatim.
This type of theatre aims to give voice to people who are often deprived of the chance to express themselves – here, the foot soldiers of the Black Watch Regiment - and it relies heavily on the credibility that comes from using people’s actual words.
Note how the use of verbatim techniques adds authenticity to the drama, brings historical events alive and fosters empathy in the audience.

An important aspect of Black Watch genre is its label as physical theatre. This means it emphatically uses physical expression as a significant facet of storytelling.
Instead of relying entirely on text, the production makes extensive use of movement, space, gesture, dance, and physical action.
For example, the choreographed fight sequences, the changing room scene or the letter reading scene communicate emotional depth and narrative progression as much as any spoken dialogue.
This approach to storytelling offers an alternative to text-heavy plays and enhances the audience’s sensory experience.

Black Watch can also be seen as site-specific and immersive theatre, as it often breaks the divide between the audience and performers.
The original production took place in a drill hall, reiterating the concept of locale and its influence on the soldiers. Future productions tend to simulate the essence of the original location.
The staging often extends into the audience seating area, placing the audience in the midst of the action and breaking through the fourth wall.
This blurring of boundaries between the audience and actors pulls the audience directly into the action, resulting in a more engaging and emotionally intense theatre experience.