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73. Reliving History

Can recreating the past help us to come to terms with it? Matthew Syed explores whether re-enactment could help us grapple with traumatic memories, and even change the future.

In a theatre in Buenos Aires, six veterans from opposite sides of the Falklands War united to re-enact their experiences of the conflict in front of hundreds of people. The play was called Minefield, and it was an ambitious experiment by the Argentinian theatre director, Lola Arias.

Former Royal Marine Dr David Jackson was one of the veterans who flew across the world to act out his memories of war alongside men he鈥檇 fought against over three decades earlier. There were hundreds of people watching, including mothers who had lost their sons in the conflict.

The play took a risk - it was opening up a part of history that people still didn鈥檛 agree on. But in the process, it ended up forging connections between groups that had once been divided.

Matthew Syed explores the power and potential of re-enactment, and asks what happens when we try to bring the past back to life.

With veteran, counsellor, and academic Dr David Jackson; director and writer Lola Arias; researcher, educator and humanitarian aid worker Dr Nena Mo膷nik; and Professor of Modern Culture and Media at Brown University, Rebecca Schneider.

Presenter: Matthew Syed
Producer: Caroline Thornham
Editors: Georgia Moodie and Hannah Marshall
Sound Design and Mix: Daniel Kempson
Theme music by Ioana Selaru
A Novel production for 成人快手 Radio 4

Release date:

29 minutes

On radio

Next Wednesday 09:00

Broadcasts

  • Next Wednesday 09:00
  • Next Friday 16:30

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