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Review: Chatroom/Citizenship (tour)

October 10, 2007


Venue: The Lowry
Date Reviewed: 10th October 2007

star

Originally staged at the National alongside Deborah Gearing’s Burn, Chatroom/Citizenship now feature as a double bill on tour, combining the talents of Mark Ravenhill and Enda Walsh. Interestingly, it is Walsh’s dark vision of a cyber community which has the most impact. But the great thing about these two plays is that they do make ideal partners.

Walsh’s Chatroom, a gripping and slow-burning look at the plight of troubled teen Jim (played with real emotional authenticity by Steven Webb), is incredibly involving from the outset. Feeling suicidal and depressed as a result of his father’s neglect, we watch in awe as he seeks solace in an internet chatroom. Waiting for him are a couple of ‘players’ determined to bring him down. George Rainsford and Jade Williams are both excellent as the cyber vultures, picking at the bones of Webb as he naively bares his soul.

What makes this piece so satisfying is Walsh’s refusal to make this a paedophile story, which is so often used as a plot device whenever we see a play about the internet or the subject matter covered in the media. The stark, bare set design by Jonathan Fensom, minus computers, also makes for a surprising change from the norm. Ultimately, this is an unmissable production on its own.

But combined with Ravenhill’s Citizenship, a funny and heartfelt look at a gay teen’s life at school and at play, the double bill makes for a fully rounded evening out. Again, instead of making the protagonist the troubled ’sad young man’ which we so often see on stage, Ashley Rolfe’s Tom is refreshingly confident. Sure, he is confused but this is down to the growing pains which every teenager has. He does not struggle with his sexuality, in fact one of the most thrilling scenes is when he ‘comes out’ to his stressed-out gay teacher, played with real comic ingenuity by Richard Dempsey. Michelle Tate also impresses as Tom’s best friend, Amy who has more problems than him but a steelier resolve.

So often are youth portrayed as criminals or spoilt brats. Here, both writers try to imbue their characters with a sense of hope, regardless of their bruises. Ravenhill’s characters do feel a bit too close to Catherine Tate for comfort, but the mixture of slapstick comedy and heartfelt sentiment does paper over these minor cracks. The great cast and superb direction by Anna Mackmin also make Chatroom/Citizenship a piece to savour.

- Glenn Meads

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