Somewhere

Written by Judith Johnston
Unity Theatre (19th February 2010)

Reviewed by Nadia Baha

Picture yourself at a place by the river...

Liverpool, 1981. A group of teenagers try to get by in a world where nothing is real, a city where there are no jobs and a life that is ruled by home-made tattoos, alcohol, drugs and friends who don’t know where they are going. They all have plans for the future, but “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”, so while they are planning their lives, life happens. One friend commits suicide, another one joins the army, only to leave it ten years later, disgusted with himself and the people he was with. He is a broken man but tries to “finish business” with his teenage and apparently true love Dawn. Then years on, she is with Barry, who always looked after her. This might sound like a cheap love story but it unfolds and shows many aspects of life. Dawn really got the rotten chocolates from the box of chocolates called life and ended up working on the game in Amsterdam, where Barry has his bar. When Lee comes to find her after ten years there is trouble on the way...

It is hard to put the play in a nutshell. It is so powerful and raw, straight from the beginning; you feel you are with them in the living room, having a party. The soundtrack to the play is brilliant, The Specials, The Clash, The La’s and other great bands. The play is about teenagers, politics with a strong anti-war and anti-military message, love, trust and care, the harsh reality of life and hope. But it is also very lively and humorous.

A brilliant play – hats off to the playwright and the actors!

In the end, everyone just needs a place where they can be themselves.

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Sorry Comments Closed

Comment left by Bel on 8th April, 2011 at 10:46
Do you know how I could get my hands on a copy of this script? Thanks