Transported from New York to London, this play depicts the
troubled lives of three youths of the 1980s: Warren (Ferdie
Addis) and Dennis (Angus Cameron), who are trying to get out of
debt by various means including selling cocaine, and
Warren’s love interest Jessica (Laura Palmer). The plot
revolves around the pasts and personalities of these three
characters. Information is hinted at throughout the play to explain the
characters’ motivations. While every life does not include
drug-selling and parental abuse, there are many aspects with
which the audience can empathise. The production involves the
audience by maintaining a high level of realism. The movements of
the actors display a lack of inhibition allowing the audience to
believe that they are observing a moment between people they
know. This shifts in the scene between Warren and Jessica where
the audience is made to feel less like an observer and more like
a participant. Jez Hogan’s direction, by paying great
attention to detail, has created the effect of a slice of real
life. The set is strewn with realistic signs of life such as an
unmade bed and empty bottles. Descriptions of events are cleverly used by writer Kenneth
Lonergan to convey an understanding of chilling experiences
without witnessing the events themselves, and the actors’
delivery gives a sense of feeling and dimension. The acting is
acutely polished, and the scenes between Addis and Cameron are
particularly emotive and absorbing. This gripping play, looking
into the lives of a few, is worth a look by many.ARCHIVE: 4th week TT 2004
This is our Youth
