Sessions – Zoo Playground

What should we do with violent young men? Lock them up and ‘throw away the key’? Or try to rehabilitate them?

‘Sessions’ is the story of 17-year-old George, a violent offender, who is fortunate to avoid a prison sentence. Instead he is given community service and ordered to attend weekly sessions with a social worker.

This timely play comes amidst a longstanding concern about violence amongst disaffected youth. The show starts with the sound of news bulletins about youth crime, austerity cuts including a reduction in youth services, and the links between those spending cuts and crime.  

Our incarceration rate is higher than that of most other European countries. The new Labour Government is releasing offenders early because of a shortage of prison places. What’s the solution? Build more prisons or lock up fewer people? Even those who want to see fewer in prison believe that dangerous people should be imprisoned. But what if we made much greater efforts to rehabilitate even violent offenders? Prison is very expensive and it doesn’t succeed in rehabilitation. Most offenders reoffend.

The premise of this play is that violent offenders can be rehabilitated using non-custodial methods. David is a social worker who specialises in dealing with troubled young people.

In their first session George is very aggressive and swears a lot. David doesn’t mind. But when George uses a homophobic slur, David tells him sharply never to say that again. He’s drawing clear boundaries, but gradually winning George’s confidence. They establish a good relationship, and George opens up. His father was a drug dealer who left the family and was later stabbed. George was bullied and often provoked into violence. He’s an exceptionally talented footballer who had trials for Peterborough. But he gave up playing when his leg was badly broken.

David and George even play fantasy football together. George’s trust in David is clear. When he’s provoked by another boy, and retaliates to a physical attack, George’s main concern is that he’s let David down by losing control. Luckily the incident with the other boy does not lead to anyone being seriously injured, and the police are not involved. George is well on the way to rehabilitation. He does not want to reoffend.

Adam Halcro plays George, and gives a riveting performance. From the moment he storms onto the stage he is totally believable as the troubled young man. He makes a convincing transition from the youth with the tough exterior to a much softer side as he gradually opens up to his social worker. Halcro is particularly good in the final scene as he tries to tell David about a traumatic experience. We can see not just by his words but through his physicality how tortured he is. His whole body is contorted, and his sobs come up from deep within him. He’s totally inhabited the character, and ends with a brilliant piece of acting. But throughout Halcro’s performance is absorbing.

Naytanael Israel plays David, the unconventional social worker.  He and Halcro have a good onstage rapport. David’s empathy is palpable, and Israel makes us understand why George would want to confide in him. Israel shows us many facets of this character who is much more complicated than he initially appears. He surprises us in one scene by shouting at George for turning up unexpectedly and interrupting his session with another offender. However Israel sometimes talks so quickly that words get lost.

Sam Bates, who also directs, has written a thought-provoking play which enthralled the audience. The writing is gritty and natural. We already learn a lot about David from the sessions, so I would suggest cutting the two slightly contrived scenes in which David is being interviewed by offstage voices. This would leave more time in this short 60 minute play for the sessions between George and David, allowing for a fuller focus on the essence of the play: George’s journey towards rehabilitation.

The production could have had greater flow and more focus if there hadn’t been multiple entrances and exits via the door of the room the play was being staged in. Maybe this was being done to facilitate costume changes but they could have been simplified and done openly in the scene breaks.

Simple but effective lighting and sound was designed by Finlay Murray. Philip Brown played some excellent incidental music. And plaudits to Stacey Cullen, the producer and dramaturg.

‘Sessions’ runs until 25th August (not 12th and 19th). Tickets from https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/sessions

Reviewer: Tom Scott

Reviewed: 11th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: