Old Fruit Jar Productions’ The Execution of Private Slovik at Manchester’s 53Two is a powerful, tightly wound piece of theatre that lingers long after the stunned silence of its final moments. Set in France in 1945, in the final months of the Second World War, the play places us in a claustrophobic room where a group of senior officers must confront an unbearable moral dilemma: whether to carry out the execution of Private Eddie Slovik, condemned for desertion. What follows is an intense, emotionally charged examination of obedience, responsibility, and the devastating human cost of war.

Written and directed by Alex King, the production thrives on its relentless tension. From the outset, the audience is made complicit in the decision that hangs over the room, and every exchange feels weighted with consequence. The script is sharp and unsentimental, resisting easy answers and refusing to soften the brutality of the situation at hand. Instead, it allows conflicting viewpoints to collide- legality versus morality, duty versus compassion- and trusts the audience to wrestle with the same questions as the characters.

Under King’s guidance, what makes this production especially compelling is its focus on the men tasked with enforcing the sentence rather than the battlefield itself. War is ever-present, but it is the quiet, administrative cruelty of the procedure that proves most chilling. The officers are not villains, nor are they heroes; they are ordinary men trapped inside an extraordinary system, each grappling with fear, pride, guilt, and loyalty. Loyalties fracture, tempers flare, and the room becomes a pressure cooker where ideology and conscience are forced into direct conflict.

Performances across the small cast are uniformly strong, with each actor bringing a depth and subtlety to roles that could easily slip into the realms of caricature. Moments of restrained emotion are often more powerful than outright confrontation, and the production wisely allows silences to speak just as loudly as words. The portrayal of Slovik himself, played with real depth by Jamie Peacock, becomes a haunting reminder that behind every military order is a living, breathing human being.

The staging at 53Two is intimate and highly effective, drawing the audience into the heart of the moral storm. The confined bunker-like space utilises Manchester’s iconic viaducts perfectly to aid in mirroring the psychological entrapment of the characters, creating an atmosphere of inescapable urgency. Subtle lighting and sound design, with original music from Florence King, enhance the sense that time is running out, underscoring the dreadful inevitability of what is to come with the faint echoes of war.

What ultimately elevates this remarkable production, though, is its relevance. Although rooted in historical events, its questions feel uncomfortably modern: when orders conflict with conscience, where does responsibility truly lie? Who is accountable when systems commit acts in the name of justice? The play does not preach, but it does provoke- and that provocation is an enormous strength.

A thought-provoking and profoundly moving experience, this is theatre that demands attention and rewards it richly. The Execution of Private Slovik is not an easy watch, but it’s a gripping reminder that the most painful battles are often fought far from the front line.

Playing at 53Two in Manchester until Saturday 24th January, further information and booking details here.

Tickets received in exchange for a review. #AD

Photography by Shay Rowan.