Depicting unknown – and unrecognised – female code breakers in the US during WWII, Enigma looks upon these women as they work in a typically male-dominated field. Intelligent women, they all have similar tales of balancing ability in decoding complex information within the lack of opportunity available to them.
The seven-strong company fills the compact space, which causes some sightline and movement issues. The performers move within the space as best they can although, at times, the spoken text is lost due to the volume of accompanying music. The characters all have their individual strengths and, while some actors are stronger than others, each has an opportunity to take centre stage.
Where this production loses ground is that, with seven characters to tell their stories, this does not allow all to embody their full potential. This is a pity as it feels there is much more to explore in the history that could strengthen the piece. Nonetheless, the performance ends on a strong statement, which leaves the audience considering the loss of these hidden talents and voices from history.
Times: 6-10 August, 5:30pm