DNA

RAODS Youth

Plaza Theatre, Romsey

Dennis Kelly's story of a group of adolescents who did something terrible, panicked and covered it up has shades of Lord of the Flies. As the action developed, the dynamics of the gang, the length some will go to for social acceptance and the unequal, bullying nature of the relationships unfolded.

Staging the production in the confined Green Room space, with a dark oppressive backdrop and a rubbish strewn grassy area, added to the menace and sense of underlying violence in the play. Lighting and sound were used to great effect, neatly dividing the short scenes and adding to the building tension.

While some characters were drawn with less colour and made less impact, performances were good and the hard work of the whole cast evident. What was less successful was the draining of tension by dividing what is a 60-minute play into two short halves.

Karen Robson