Pass @ 24:7 Festival, 22.07.14

“Everything could change or nothing could change,” says Jake (Ethan Rodgers) in Pass, the new play from writer Naomi Sumner that is debuting at this year’s 24:7. That single sentence is a great summation of the teenage experience: life is exciting, fresh and fun while, at the same time, it all seems so hard to grasp, slow to move and no one thinks you’re ready for it. It is this universal story of juvenile yearning that Pass follows, told through the tale of two school kids in love.

The premise is pretty simple: Jake wants to go to university and get out of Manchester while his girlfriend Maddie (Natasha Davidson) is quite happy where she is, glad to be young and in love. Caught in this clash is newly qualified teacher Louise (Joanna Hinton), a tutor to Jake and a potential rival for his affections as far as Maddie is concerned. The three strong wills go to war, with inevitable break-ups, make-ups, and break downs as Jake takes his final exams. The question is, will he pass?

Pass’ storyline works well and the dialogue has strong moments, as with the quoted line at the start of this review. However, the quality is not consistent throughout and is occasionally clunky rather than quick and charismatic; a drama like this needs a real feel for how young people speak and a sense of their energy. That said, both Rodgers and Davidson did well with the material and made believable teens, which is not an easy assignment for an actor.

As to the direction, the pacey scene changes gave a feeling of life flashing by, but the sudden snaps of sound used to punctuate these didn’t quite work, preventing a mood from developing; it was hard to get lost in the play. It was also a tricky piece to see in thrust staging, as several key moments happened at the far reaches of the stage where they could not be seen so well from the other side.

Pass succeeds in capturing that feeling that fifteen is everything, that there is no time to lose and you’ve got to have it all right now – an impatience for life to begin. While it has some weaknesses there is also enough to suggest that this play can be improved, and that those involved have potential.

Words: Andrew Anderson
Image: Courtesy of 24:7

Away From Home @ New Century House, 23.07.13

Football and homosexuality are like City and United fans: the two don't mix. Insulting players from the stands with gay epithets is still common, the first openly gay professional footballer in the modern era hung himself and the 2022 World Cup is being held in a country where homosexuality is illegal. With this in mind, how would a drama about a young man in a relationship with a closeted Premiership footballer fare? The answer is that Away From Home in one of the best written, performed and directed dramas I have seen. Normally I take notes during a play I am reviewing, but by the end I realised I hadn't written anything beyond the first five minutes; I’d been too caught up in it.

In Away From Home, Kyle (played by co-writer and lone actor Rob Ward) talks an un-seen partner through his relationship with a professional footballer who plays for his club’s rivals (referred to as “the scum” throughout). But this is no ordinary relationship, as the footballer is in the closet and no one can know. Oh, and they meet as John and rent boy, not as equals. Add to that the pressures being brought on Kyle by his family and catastrophe never seems far away. But, such is the heart of this play, nor does hope.

Littered with great one-liners, such as describing a girl as so clever that “she's re-taking her first year of uni” and telling the crossbar to “fuck off” during a game, the play is funny as well as thoughtful, dealing with difficult relationships while also poking fun at them. The directing (by co-writer Martin Jameson) sees Kyle move smoothly around the stage, with each re-enactment running seamlessly into the next – a scene set in hospital was particularly striking for its simple brilliance.

There is a lot you can take away from this play: the power of friendships, the difficulties that families go through, the pressure of keeping a secret. But most of all I think it is that we are all capable of growing as people, so long as we keep our self-respect, and there is always hope that conflicts can be resolved. Well, most conflicts: I’m still not sure that City and United fans will be hugging come match day anytime soon.

Words: Andrew Anderson.
Image: Courtesy of 24:7 Festival.

Away From Home's run concludes on Thursday 25th July, while the 24:7 Festival continues until this Friday, 26th July.