CRIME OF THE CENTURY To 30 August.

Edinburgh

CRIME OF THE CENTURY
by David Carey and Christine Niering.

Chickenshed Theatre company atZoo Southside, Venue 82, 117 Nicolson St, Edinburgh
Runs 1hr No interval.

TICKETS: 0131 662 6892.
boxoffice@zoovenues.co.uk
Review: Mark Courtice 25 August.

When staying safe feels impossible
This is an urgent message about the horrifying price of knife crime and violence among the young from those most nearly affected. It's also a satisfying piece of theatre, done well.

The excellent Chickenshed Company's professional team has been inspired to mark the death of Shaquille Smith (nephew of their education officer) with a deeply felt demand that we do better by our young.

From the moment a mother urges her child to "stay safe" through a bustling world where rough and tumble turns to horrifying and terminal violence we know tragedy is inevitable.

Voices are important here, with voice-overs contrasting the aching loss of a funeral speech with the nostrums of impotent officialdom, while from the stage angry young voices drown out the young man trying to talk of his ambitions.

Using sketched street dance, fights and a set of a few scattered chairs it's full, as you would expect, of energy. What is unexpected is the urgency of the ideas, the vigour of the social and political message, the sophistication of the challenge to our preconceptions.

Well danced, with acting that rings with genuine passion, this is political theatre from Islington that never saw a coffee house or a smoke-filled room and all the better for it.

Performers: Daniel Banton, Mark Lees, Philip Constantinou, Gavin May, Dominique Crooks, Jacob Maynard, Loren Jacobs, Nathan Welsh, Charlie Kemp, Dina Williams

Director: David Carey and Christine Niering.
Designer: Graham Hollick.
Lighting: Andrew Caddies.

2009-08-27 13:40:21