SPITFIRE SOLO GMT Productions International The Forge Until 19 Oct 2013 Review by Jamie Wright “Spitfire Solo” is the story of former Spitfire pilot Peter Walker (Nicholas Collett), who has just moved into a retirement village. The action moves back and forth through periods of his life – the present (it's set in 2000), flashbacks to different parts of the war and other key moments of his life. Between the historical scenes are the battles Walker fights in his personal life – the loss of his wife and the alienation of their only daughter. The script is excellent, with great structure and numerous little touches throughout. Collett’s storytelling capacity is exemplary, as is his ability to play multiple characters; it’s impossible to not be drawn in. There’s good use of film and sound effects to help set the scenes, and the simple set is cleverly retasked – pieces of furniture become a Spitfire cockpit or the seat in a commercial airliner – and there's a great scene where sliced bread and sauce bottles are used to portray a German attack on British airfields. A wonderfully well-balanced mix of history lesson, humour and touching human drama.