Review: Our Friends in the North ****
This is a staggering achievement. A vast, sweeping story that holds a mirror up to society revealing an ugly reflection.
Less well known than the television series, Peter Flannery's epic play tells of the corrupt leader of Newcastle's City Council, Austin Donohue (based on real-life conman T Dan Smith). His dodgy deals with a shoddy builder who slaps up inadequate high rise tower blocks have far reaching consequences.
Flannery also brings the bloody end of Rhodesia and the creation of Zimbabwe into his range, linking corruption there with the same in the Metropolitan Police and in Newcastle council.
Into the mix he throws the intertwining personal stories of childhood friends Tosker, Nicky and Geordie.
First seen in 1982 at the RSC, it was Flannery's answer to the Shakespeare history plays. He created something equally Shakespearean, written with a North-East ear.
Twenty-five years on, it still feels like a play for today.
The lesson is that the boots of corruption continue to stamp all over the hopes and dreams of the proletariat. And turning a blind eye makes us as guilty as the dodgy dealers.
The performances are outstanding. Craig Conway, as Geordie, was seen at the West Yorkshire Playhouse as Orwell in Homage to Catalonia and similarly holds the stage here, but all the cast deserve separate mention.
Director Erica Whyman mercifully keeps it simple, with nothing more than a shipping container making up the set, and allows the cast to tell Flannery's story.
That after four hours the audience is palpably wanting more and is still dragged along by the intensity of the story is just one of a multitude of reasons to spend some time with this group of friends from the North.
Northern Stage, Newcastle, Lawrence Batley, Hudds, to Oct 27. Sheffield Lyceum, Oct 30 to Nov 3.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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