Tag Archives: Papatango New Writing Prize

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“Here” at the Southwark Playhouse

Clive Judd’s Papatango New Writing Prize-winning play bravely tries an audience’s patience. A thoughtful look at grief, and a novel kind of ghost story, the play’s tight focus and slow pace show confidence. That the domestic drama we spend time with doesn’t quite justify two hours is not all Judd’s fault.

The design by Jasmine Swan is disastrous. A gauze veil that stands for the walls of the room the play is set in proves hugely frustrating. What little the set achieves in spooky moments (thanks, really, to Bethany Gupwell’s strong lighting) cannot make up for being able to see so, so little throughout the show. It is a terrible idea.

Sympathetic direction by George Turvey and fine performances by a talented cast sustain a first hour as we get to meet Jess, her parents Monica and Jeff, and prodigal cousin Matt, returning for the first time since his grandfather’s death. Grieving is the theme, handled with sensitivity and intelligence. It takes a while to work out how much the family has fallen apart without this (too shadowy) paterfamilias.

“Lives before lives”

There’s a quiet tension and touches of humour that impress. Although the younger characters are better written, Judd handles all oddities calmly; there are plenty of frustrations as the shopping is put away. It’s all well observed, although little happens. The skill comes with revealing how deep the characters’ problems are. The growing sense of complex lives and their history is well played out.

The fulsome roles are made the most of. Lucy Benjamin and Mark Frost play the older characters with gusto. Their daughter on stage is the better role and Hannah Millward shows a flexibility that is to her credit. Sam Baker-Jones adds intrigue to his guileless character of Matt. Matt’s interest in sound recordings and hope that they might reveal voices of the dead doesn’t end up sinister – no small achievement.

Safety is the key. The Gen-Z angst that Judd skilfully details is handled sensitively. It’s interesting to hear Jess’s take on being “edgy”. And how what she and her cousin crave is security. As if to answer his characters, Judd becomes reassuring. Here is an original take on a ghost story, but don’t expect to be spooked. The play doesn’t grip – I’m not sure it is trying to – but could still prove memorable.

Until 3 December 2022

www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Photo by The Other Richard

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“Shook” from Papatango

Samuel Bailey’s play is deservedly multi-award winning. Not only did Bailey receive the prestigious Papatango new writing prize for it but, in 2019, accolades followed a run at Southwark Playhouse. While Covid-19 prevented a scheduled transfer to the West End, thankfully, a filmed production is now available.

Following three young offenders due to become fathers and taking parenting classes in prison, the play is unsurprisingly bleak. Learning the histories of Riyad, Jonjo and Cain is tough. Bailey highlights how abuse, poor education, mental health and gang culture affect them. But none of these topics is imposed on the play. Flowing from the true stories that inspired Bailey, his writing does justice to painful experiences.

That all three characters are resigned to so many of their problems makes Shook strangely disturbing. As with the violence – the “biting, punching, kicking” – that we hear about, and the misogyny and homophobia we listen in to, a lack of life chances is taken for granted. Futures are pretty predetermined. The shocking ignorance that these men suffer from is relentlessly exposed. Riyad’s ambitions are simply a source of pain to him, while Cain’s remark that “nothing good comes of thinking” proves haunting.

Joshua Finan in Shook from Papatango Credit The Other Richard
Joshua Finan

Having so few choices that being institutionalised seems a viable option is truly depressing. Director George Turvey does well with moments of light relief, keeping them firmly under control. Best of all, strong characterisations involve the audience and prevent the piece descending into any kind of ‘poverty porn’. The cast are able to develop their roles magnificently. Josef Davies’ Jonjo is catatonic at first. Josh Finan’s Cain, with his fevered energy, moves from talking too much to asking powerful questions. But the play’s lynchpin is Riyad. Ivan Oyik is fantastic in the role: weaving the exercise of petty power over fellow inmates with underlying insecurities. 

Andrea Hall and Ivan Oyik
Andrea Hall and Ivan Oyik

If there’s a flaw in Shook, it’s that the men’s teacher, Grace, is underwritten. As a result, Andrea Hall’s admirable performance feels wasted. Likewise, I’ve a suspicion that an oft mentioned off-stage character, Jake, is supposed to be more vivid. Or maybe it’s appropriate that those trying to help the men remain shadowy figures? There’s certainly a sense they will achieve little despite their attempts.

An effort that does pay off is to bring the audience increasingly close to the characters. All involved in Shook should be proud of this achievement. Likewise, bringing the characters themselves closer, into a circle of support and friendship, is skilfully managed. It makes learning what each misses all the more moving. Things big and small – from the details of their lives to the lives they are excluded from – run throughout the play, including, most touchingly, wanting a hug. My advice is simple: be sure not to miss Shook.

Until 28 February 2021

www.papatango.co.uk

Photos by The Other Richard

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“Unscorched” at the Finborough Theatre

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As the winner of the prestigious Papatango New Writing Prize, Luke Owen gets his first play, Unscorched, staged at the Finborough Theatre. Packing in the critics last night, the scene is set to judge the script, and it’s easy to see why it won as it’s a strong piece. But just as impressive are the performances from two players: Ronan Raftery, who takes the lead role, and his love interest, played by Eleanor Wyld.

Back to the playwright. Owen’s unsavoury subject is child abuse, with the action based around an office where pornography is analysed in order to assist the police. We know it’s an unpalatable job; the first scene, with a brief but emotive performance from Richard Atwill, brilliantly shows a worker having a breakdown because of the traumatic material he is exposed to.

Enter our new recruit Tom (Raftery). With the bravest of intentions, the long-serving Nidge, performed capably by John Hodgkinson, mentors him. Seemingly immune to the horrors he watches, Nidge makes us aware of the toll this necessary work takes. And Tom is carefully watched by his boss, who has a “buddy” approach to management that strikes a jarringly comic tone. George Turvey convinces in this role, pointing out the therapeutic potential of an Xbox and promoting paintballing – as if these really could be solutions.

It is the romantic writing, about Tom and his new love affair, which is best and highlights Owen’s intelligent voice. As with the main subject matter, the relationship is written in an admirably understated fashion. Careful to avoid prurient touches, it feels authentic and shows the effects that working in such a horrible field have on ordinary people and this likeable couple in particular.

Satisfying as it is, the relationship Tom starts out on could have been even more of a focus to the play. A series of (too) brief scenes start to become a touch frustrating. Perhaps the direction from Justin Audibert could have been slightly tighter. The astoundingly efficient set from Georgia Lowe works hard but time is taken up preparing for very short scenarios so it feels as if the play needs a bigger stage. Although given the quality of the writing and performances, it surely deserves one.

Until 23 November 2013

www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

Written 1 November 2013 for The London Magazine