Even after reading our preview of the rehearsals, it’s clear that we have no idea what we have let ourselves in for as we enter the Lyric Theatre to see their latest show Punk Rock. Written by Simon Stephens and directed by Selina Cartmell, this is one of the most successful British plays in recent years and from the outset of this performance it quickly becomes apparent why. The acting is superb, especially from such young and professionally inexperienced actors, the topics it addresses are timeless and the sound (Fergus O’Hare), lighting (Chahine Yavroyan), set design (Monica Frawley) and overall style has some serious attitude.
Punk Rock tells the story of seven teenagers from Stockport and their time spent in the upper school library-cum-common room. Through the course of two hours or so we see everything from romance, to fighting, to the daily struggles of being a teenager. The writer says:
Punk Rock is a play about violence. It’s also a play about love and about sex. It’s a play about education and ambition and the chaotic destabilising nature of money. It’s a play about fear and optimism. It’s also a play about home….It is astonishing to me then that my play about a generation’s response to their home should move to live in Belfast for a while and that I should get over there to see it. My play is going to live in my hometown I’ve never been to. I can’t wait to come and see it there.
The set is blatantly a school setting. The stackable tables, the shelves full of books, the checkered lino, but the first thing that really strikes me is the lighting. The light streaming through the open door and the windows in the ceiling is perfect, it looks exactly like natural light. It’s little nuances like the sound and lighting that make this not just a remarkable story, but a highly accurate and haunting portrayal of being a teenager. As the lights go down, the next thing that strikes is the music. It’s uncomfortable, a touch too loud, and I can’t help but think that this is on purpose to make a point about the raucous nature of growing up – the doors to the library swing open and in storms the teenagers. Unmistakably cool. Unashamadly ridiculous. They so obviously rule this little world that they inhabit inside the school grounds, but as the play begins the pressures, anxieties and culture shock of leaving school become apparent. Life’s not all canteens and common rooms, you know.
Every so often as the scene changes, the lights lower, the music blasts and the cast dance (or rather, prowl) around the stage. Their movements are constant, another reflection on the boundless energy that comes with being young. I find myself tensing up as soon as the lights lower, trying to prepare myself for the assault of sound and vision that is undoubtedly about to follow.
The young cast are truly a joy to watch, a definite showcase of local talent. Rhys Dunlop (William) was born and raised in Belfast, while Lauren Coe (Lilly), Rory Corcoran (Chadwick) and Ian Toner (Bennett) all hail from Dublin. Toner’s performance especially reminds me of Jimmy Porter in Osborne’s Look Back in Anger (also about educated, but disaffected youth). Aisha Fabienne Ross (Cissy) was born in Scotland and raised in Australia, while Jonah Hauer-King (Nicholas) is from London.
The crowd tonight is mainly of the older variety, but the boisterousness and confidence of youth is relatable to everyone no matter what their age. The idiosyncrasies of the dialogue are spot on too. The name calling, the flirting, and the ticks of the common room banter are highly accurate and compelling. This isn’t a rose tinted view of youth, but rather a no holds barred journey into the teenage psyche.
Punk Rock is equal amounts disturbing, amusing and chilling. To tell you more about the plot of the play would be spoiling it, but I urge everyone to catch this highly talented and deeply impactful performance while they can.
Running until the 6th September. To book tickets and to find out more information click here.
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