by Lakshmi Krishnan
This National Theatre production showcases new writing: ‘Chatroom’ by Irish writer Enda Walsh and ‘Citizenship’ by Mark Ravenhill. Both fall under the auspices of the NT’s ‘Connections’ programme, which attempts to fill the need for ‘the best plays from the best writers around for young people to perform’. The goal is ambitious, and a bit over-stated, but I doubt many would dispute its relevance.
Adolescence is the focus of the evening: its peaks and nadirs, passionate pain and moments of euphoric joy. Both writers have admirably captured teenage angst while avoiding cliché, realising that adolescent despair is not static, but rather in flux, interspersed with moments of deep happiness and profound awareness.
Walsh’s ‘Chatroom’ examines the anonymous banter and strange, artificial closeness found on internet chat sites. It opens with a heated conversation between William (George Rainsford) and Jack (Akemnji Ndifornyen), in which William boldly claims that J.K. Rowling ought to be ‘eliminated’. Adults, he says, write silly fiction for teenagers to keep youth dumb and subjugated. Across the stage, Emily (Jaimi Barbakoff) and Eva (Jade Williams) discuss how they feel let down by their former idol, Britney Spears. This amusingly facile dialogue comes alive through excellent timing and well-chosen exaggeration. The young actors do most of the work through their voices; physicality is restricted as they spend most of the play sitting in plastic chairs, inactive bodies in contrast to snappy talk. Rainsford, in particular, shines as the wicked, yet fascinating, rogue William. His gleeful malice peaks when the unsuspecting Jim (Steven Webb) wanders into their chatroom. Jim has real problems: his dad left, his mum hates him, and he thinks he wants to commit suicide. But when William and Eva decide to take him on as their ‘cause’, ‘Chatroom’ takes a turn. Webb’s sweet, self-deprecatory Jim evokes genuine compassion. Here is a character that could easily be over-played as emo and drippy, but Webb avoids this through long moments of direct audience contact. His monologues, delivered as if to a friend, bring a touch of tenderness to Walsh’s otherwise snappy piece. Without giving anything away, I must confess disappointment at the denouement of Jim’s crisis. The tension that built over the course of the production suddenly and unaccountably evaporates. ‘Chatroom’ does, however, pose interesting questions. Is it Jim who has real problems, or the bored teenagers who would instigate him merely to make a point?
In contrast to ‘Chatroom’, physicality is a driving force in ‘Citizenship’. Actors bounce over balconies, dance, smoke, rattle on and off the stage. Slang is used with forceful vigour and great relish. If internet chat was the structure of Walsh’s piece, then the potential anonymity of daily ‘chat’ is the basis of Ravenhill’s. Talk has little meaning as teenagers snog and shag and call each other ‘gay’ and ‘bi’ with slight attention to the significance of these terms. The relationship between Amy (Michelle Tate) and Tom (Ashley Rolfe) is our focus. Tate’s refreshingly brusque, yet tender Amy was the highlight of this production. Her love for a man she knows cannot love her properly is conveyed with just the right measure of self-disgust and nervousness. Rolfe’s conflicted Tom is also strong, and there is a particularly cracking scene between him and the teacher (Richard Dempsey) he suspects might be gay.
‘Chatroom’ and ‘Citizenship’ complement each other well, and although the double-bill might not fulfil all of the NT’s ambitious goals, it is certainly a strong effort in the right direction, showcasing some sparkling talent and providing a fast, witty, sometimes touching evening of theatre.
Chatroom/Citizenship runs through November 3rd at the Playhouse (7:30 pm).
