Terror, theatre review: Terrorism trial drama makes audience the judge

The theatre has long been used as a courtroom, a place to explore notions of both reason and justice. Ferdinand von Schirach’s cult play Terror, which stages a politically charged trial and asks the audience to act as the jury, has travelled the world provoking strong reactions. Its UK premiere promises much — yet delivers too little.

A stellar German fighter pilot has shot down a hijacked airliner, causing 164 deaths. In doing so he defied both the law and his superiors’ orders, driven by the belief that the terrorists who’d seized the plane were going to crash it into a football stadium, potentially killing as many as 70,000 people. In his eyes, this was the lesser of two evils. But was his choice morally or indeed legally justifiable?

We hear from the accused, Ashley Zhangazha’s Major Lars Koch, as well as from the lawyers and a couple of witnesses. In the end each of us gets to press a button on a handset that dangles beneath our seat to confirm whether we think Koch is guilty. It’s a loaded moment of interaction — a briefly exciting gimmick, but one that can’t make up for the static nature of this two-hour show.

It’s relentlessly talky, and though director Sean Holmes finds a few ways to enliven proceedings the debate often feels remote. High-quality casting ensures that the moral philosophy doesn’t seem entirely arid, with Tanya Moodie an assured presence as the judge, Forbes Masson tetchy as Koch’s defender and Emma Fielding coolly authoritative as the counsel for the prosecution.

Yet there’s far too much colourless exposition. When the conflict at last emerges it’s contrived rather than viscerally engaging, and we’re not obliged to probe the consequences of our decision. Given recent events, Terror ought to feel bracing and urgent, but mostly it’s just dry.

Until July 15, Lyric Hammersmith; lyric.co.uk