Drowning – 53Two

After a successful tour in 2020, Dare To Know Theatre’s one-man, one-act show Drowning is back on the road.

The debut play by writer and performer Jake Talbot garnered positive reviews on its first outing and this time around the show is taking in larger venues – like 53Two in Manchester. It’s even paying a visit to the nation’s capital.

Any fears the team may have bitten off more than they can chew are soon assuaged. This is an accomplished piece of work, performed comfortably by an actor who knows the emotional and humorous beats of his tightly written script inside out.

A black stage, empty aside from a square white box, is plunged into darkness. The haunting melodies of The Lathums’ Struggle fades away and a spotlight illuminates Josh. The 16-year-old is lying peacefully, silently on his back in full school uniform.

The silence is soon broken, though, as Josh bursts into life, asking the audience if they’ve ever tried to drown themselves in the bath.

Life is exactly the right word to describe Talbot’s performance. Josh is full of energy, bouncing from thoughtful contemplations on the world to hilarious musings on the difficulties of undoing a bra: AKA ‘Alcatraz for boobs’.

Although Talbot himself may be getting a little old to play a schoolboy believably, his physicality and movement is spot on, and the writing is truthful.

In fact, as the play takes a dark turn it quickly becomes clear that the dialogue is the star. Talbot’s script is authentic, hilarious and deeply moving. No word is redundant, every phrase feels real and the delivery is so relaxed that the audience is at ease with the artifice of the storytelling.

A boy at school has taken his own life. As Josh angrily struggles to understand why, he takes us back to a horrific incident on the bus home. Vividly described.

The focus soon switches to the rapid unravelling of Josh’s own life. Although it’s clear the link between the two strands will soon be painfully revealed.

Themes of bullying, infidelity, teen angst, grief, peer pressure, troubled family relations, school politics and suicide are all sensitively handled.

There are several laugh-out-loud moments: comparing taking part in a funeral cortege to being in a ‘shit Coldplay music video’ is genius.

Narratively, a couple of very minor plot points don’t quite make sense and the musical transitions between scenes could be a lot smoother. But these are small niggles.

Drowning beautifully and honestly balances pathos and humour in a way that is now familiar on the stage. That familiarity should not be taken for granted, however. This is a debut work, and that accomplishment should be celebrated.

The Drowning tour continues throughout March, more information and ticket details can be found at https://www.daretoknowtheatre.com/shows-and-tickets

Reviewer: Peter Ruddick

Reviewed: 4th March 2023

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★