Shell Shock

See it if British army vet's life falls apart due to escalating PTSD. Deep character development. Had me in tears by the end.

Don't see it if You are not interested in PTSD. You do not want to feel attached to a strong but wounded person.

See it if You want a multi-layered look at a soldier dealing w/PTSD. You want powerful acting & an unique view of soldiers.

Don't see it if You don't want intense drama. You're uncomfortable w/depictions of war & PTSD.

See it if You are the interested in seeing PTSD from the point of view of a female soldier. You are comfortable with one actor plays.

Don't see it if You can't deal with the effort you need to expend to understand the very heavy, often very rapidly delivered Irish dialect. Often very loud

See it if You need a lesson on the individual soldiers mental afterlife of modern war

Don't see it if You want a pleasant evening out

See it if you don’t know what PTSD is or have never seen any representations of it on the news or tv

Don't see it if you’re already familiar with representations of PTSD in the media (repressed/expressed anger, depression, triggers, nightmares, flashbacks)

Also Everyone should know something of what soldiers might experience when they come back. This show looks at a veteran’s coming to terms with feelings of inadequacy and her contempt for the banality of civilian life. Shell Shock doesn’t offer much new in its treatment of this topic though, so unless you’ve had no exposure to how PTSD has been portrayed for the last 10 years this will all be familiar information. The character also reads frequently from a therapy journal as a part of the plot, but it seemed a bit like a crutch to help the actress with her lines.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a show about PSTD.

Don't see it if If you find it difficult understanding British accents, and you don't want to hear what some soldiers feel when they come home.

See it if you are interested in a different perspective on a soldier's story. Conveyed through a female British soldier readjusting to civilian life.

Don't see it if the thought of a minimalist, black box, one-woman show makes you cringe. Also, it's based on a diary, and that medium is very present here.

See it if you want to see a realistic portrayal of PSTD.

Don't see it if You are disturbed by a graphic portrayal of PSTD.

Also I am hard of hearing and female voices do not project well. I was seated toward the back of the theater; it was already dark when I got there, so I didn't want to move forward but there were plenty of front aisle seats.
I heard about 20% of the dialogue.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in PTSD.

Don't see it if You have no interest in PTSD and you have difficulty understanding British accents and vocabulary.

See it if You want to see a beautifully acted one-woman play that's essentially a monologue on post-war trauma

Don't see it if You're bothered by racism and transphobia. You want a likable narrator or satisfying conclusion.

See it if have interest in US wars overseas, the effects of war on veterans and the treatment of veterans. If you're interested in women in combat.

Don't see it if If you don't like single character monologues, especially If you like a variety of characters.

See it if If you like to see a new angle on PTSD, with a magnetic performance, clever writing, dark humour - quality theater.

Don't see it if If you don't like a one person show that isn't stand out comedy.