THE STRAITS till 12 June

Touring

THE STRAITS: Gregory Burke
Paines Plough (with Hampstead and Drum, Plymouth)
Runs: 1h 40m, no interval, till 12 June
Review: Rod Dungate, Birmingham Rep, 12 May 2004

Tough, elegant, timeless
Gregory Burke's THE STRAITS (The Straits of Gibraltar) is a tough, no-messing and entertaining play. His voice comes through loud and strong, you feel the writer feels passionately about his chosen theme.

Three lads, Doink, Jock and newcomer, young, Darren while away their time in Gibraltar during the Falklands war; tough Doink waiting to join the marines (his brother is on the Sheffield), Jock going along with it and Darren trying to join the big boys. Darren's slightly older sister is around too, protective of him, attracted by Doink's toughness and roughness. The Falklands War may be a catalyst within the plot but it's not central to it. For this is a play about men, becoming men, the disturbing symbiotic relationship between bully and victim; these are timeless themes.

Burke explores his themes with great skill and elegance and he has a terrific ear for dialogue. His dialogue is sparse, taut; you feel it may snap at any moment, like the tension inside and between the characters. Many things, while clear, are unsaid by the characters; 'I'm alright', 'I can hack it' (learnt from the films the boys no doubt watch) rule the day. To show vulnerability is to show weakness, the trick is to learn to cut yourself off from it.

The revelation of the sinking of the Sheffield to Doink, Doink's own revealing of the death of his brother are emotional moments, sore as open wounds. How do we deal with them? The best way is to cover them up and not worry too much about what's going on underneath; this is the lesson the boys learn. The ray of hope in all this is the increasing distance Jock puts between himself and the others; the boys grow in their journey, but not all in the same direction.

John Tiffany gives strong direction to this equally strong team. He paces the play well, letting it breathe. Stylish scene breaks keep the narrative thrust on the move and, themselves, reflect macho display. My only qualm are the spoken lyrics of the Sex Pistols', God Save the Queen, at the end: they over-egg the pudding and the effect is, frankly, patronising.

Darren: Peter McNicholl
Doink: James Marchant
Jock: Freddy White
Tracy: Alice O'Connell

Director: John Tiffany
Designer: Neil Warmington
Lighting Designer: Natasha Chivers
Composer and Sound Design: Cormac O'Connnor
Movement: Steven Hoggett

2004-05-13 14:34:29