Punk Rock

Punk Off – The Story of Punk and New Wave

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Reviewed by Matthew Forrest

Opening Night verdict ⭐⭐⭐

You can’t underestimate the impact that Punk has had on popular culture: music, fashion and most importantly attitude. It’s ballsy, take no prisoners attitude was a shock to the system for some in 1970’s Britain. For others it was a chance to be heard, seen, and to give a two fingered salute to the establishment.

It seems fitting that with the 50th anniversary of The Sex Pistols, now legendary appearance at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall, approaching next year that we have a show that takes us on a whistle stop tour of Punk’s beginnings and celebrate the originators and trailblazers, of a movement that was an inspiration to so many, and a headache to others.

Punk Off – The Story of Punk and New Wave, is like a live version of the NOW compilation albums that littered our CD collection way back when. This would definitely be NOW That’s What I Call Punk or The Best New Wave Album in the World…Ever! We are treated to some of the biggest hits from bands like The Clash, Blondie, and The Ramones. Kevin Kennedy (Corrie’s Curly Watts) provides narration and brief history lessons on the big players and what was going on in the UK, in between songs. For two hours it’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane that whilst delivered with plenty of energy, and gusto, doesn’t quite have the bite it strives for.

The band: Phil Sherlock on bass, drummer Ric Yarborough and guitarist director of music Adam Evans’ are a tight unit as along with vocalists Reece Davies and Lazy Violet they belt out hits that include Hanging on the Telephone, Oliver’s Army and Pretty Vacant. The undoubted musical highlights for me was a high octane rendition of The Damned’s, New Rose slowed down take on The Stranglers No More Heroes, that changes midway through to the full throttle version we are familiar with.

Where the show struggles is its ambition doesn’t match its budget. Some of the numbers are accompanied by dance routines which are to be fair are a bit hit and miss. There are only four dancers/performers trying to fill the huge stage of the Bridgewater Hall, whilst the band are pushed right at the back of the stage. The staging itself consists of a few walls and doors which serve no purpose. You just wish they did more with the space they had. That said, I did like the backdrop of the Camden rail bridge.

The show never takes itself too serious, a running gag about a busker being told to f*ck off, until finally getting to perform, and the dance routines during Peaches and Once in a Lifetime are good fun. Kevin Kennedy is clearly having a ball for his part of the narrator, whilst let down by a script that doesn’t really tell us anything new, at times feeling like a series of platitudes, he delivers his lines with swagger. His version of Sid Vicious My Way was what the audience needed to get them out of their seats.

This is a fun night out, from a show that wants to pay proper respect to its subject matter, and on the whole it does. It really needs to decide if it wants to be a full-on tribute concert or lean more into the theatrical elements. There is a story to be told about the impact of Punk and New Wave, but here we’re just scratching the surface.

Punk Off – The Story of Punk and New Wave is on a nationwide tour. Tickets and further info available here.

 

Punk Rock

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Salford Uni

Reviewed by Matt Forrest

Opening Night verdict 2.5 Stars

Based in Salford, the Almost Theatre Company have given a platform to some super talented young actors, writers, directors and back stage crews. They have a diverse back catalogue of shows that include Rent, Sweeny Todd and Dr Faustus. Clearly, this is a company willing to take risks, and this trend is continued with their latest offering Punk Rock.

Set in the Library of a six-form college in Stockport, we are introduced to six students: some are friends, some are foes, but all have their problems. There is new girl Lilly (Verity Lynn-Williams), struggling to find her feet at a new school, her shy boyfriend (Neil Boardman) and his friend Bennett (Josh Bratherton), a bully and borderline psychopath. Then there is Cissy (Georgia Davis), Bennett’s girlfriend who is feeling the pressure from her parents to get good grades and her best friend Tanya (Charlotte McClintock), who has a crush on one of her teachers. The final pair is Chadwick (Joel Conlon), a loner but academically gifted and William (Chris Woods), the joker filled with hopes and dreams, but desperate for acceptance.

We see the class mates converse with each other, their interactions mainly having a negative impact on each of them, their circumstances and their mental health. Inevitably the constant struggle and torment that each member of the group are going through leads one of them to snap, which has devastating consequences for all concerned.

Punk Rock offers somewhat of a mixed bag; it’s a bold, unflinching play that attempts to address some of the mental health issues affecting young people today, and for that it should be commended. The cast are strong, with each one putting in decent turns as the troubled troupe. Occasionally some cast members do go slightly over-the-top in their performances and more must be made of the subtleties and nuisances of their characters for the play to have more impact. All seven-cast members (Patrick Cerra plays two supporting roles) are clearly talented and have a bright future ahead of them.

Where the production suffers is in its tone. It doesn’t get that balance between comedy and drama right. If it wants to be taken as a serious piece of theatre, then it needs to lose the jokey introduction, and decide what you want the audience to take away from the show. The script needs to be tighter as some of the dialogue is on the clunky side.

Overall, this production has good intentions and certainly deserves an audience. It is a shining example of just how much the Almost Famous Theatre Company has at their disposal.

Punk Rock is at Salford Universality Media City Campus until Saturday 9th February