DNA (Hull)

A packed house, simple set, with eight superb young actors keeping the audience spell-bound with a fast moving tale of adolescent cruelty and guilt. This production should have a speed restriction on it!

Seemingly in a moment of madness the gang make the biggest mistake of their lives and the growing enormity of their crime cranks up the tension as they try to wriggle out of any blame.

Strong silent type, Phil ( James Alexandrou) the authoritative leader, egged on by his frantic girlfriend Leah (Leah Brotherhead), surveys the scene and comes up with a solution, which the other gang members blindly follow. Does it work?
Brian (Daniel Francis-Swaby) shakes with fear; reduced to tears and then madness as events unfold. Richard (George Brockbanks), Cathy(Elexi Walker) and John Tate (Rhys Jennings) pound about the tiny stage trying to justify their actions to the other terrified group members, no-one is comfortable; the more they wriggle the tighter the noose pulls. What have they done that is so bad?

There are moments of sheer genius as Leah rants at Phil who silently sits, letting the audience read his mind. How will they get out of this? As the guilt engulfs all the characters, the audience are drawn in too, how would you react?

Brian and Cathy then find something very unexpected in the woods and everything changes but with sinister consequences for all.

A very well written and directed play, wonderfully acted throughout with tension so gripping you could almost taste it. Highly recommended. Kids of today eh?