Us/Them review: two-person show about the Beslan hostage atrocity is a minor revelation
This two-person show explores the incomprehensible horror of terrorism in the eyes of a child. A pair of unnamed teenagers begin by recounting a normal day at school, bragging about how their town, Beslan, is superior to nearby Chechnya, where the women all have moustaches.
Their tale darkens as the infamous hostage situation unfolds, with the young actors tying an intricate cat’s cradle around the stage to represent the bombs that dangled from the gymnasium. Their story teeters between trivial and traumatising details, often supplemented by dance and acrobatics. Ostensibly aimed at children, adults are likely to find more to appreciate here.