REVIEW: FLASHBANG by James Lewis at Lion & Unicorn Theatre until -17 September 2022

‘energetic and poignant’ ★★★★

Flash. Bang. Things can change in an instant.

This moving friendship story, both humorous and full of pathos, demonstrated through interspersed narration by four young men growing up in an unnamed small town in England while wearing red t-shirts which read “Generic FC”. Themes include growing up in a small town and finding life purpose and how young men communicate with each other, especially after a horrific incident, as they deal with grief, guilt, and growing up.

These four friends, who sense they are slow off the mark in moving into adulthood, tell their story as a true ensemble. We learn about Ryan, Deano, Jason and Andy and their inside jokes, their weekend escapades, and the ordinariness of their lives. What is extraordinary is that this is not a piece about wanting to leave their small town, yearning to make it big in the city, or being unhappy with repeating what the previous generation did. Rather, it is the story of what happens to a member of their ‘squad’ and how they work through it within their small world.

With an almost empty set, except a few chairs plus one audience seat on the left, images and video on screen bring the stage to life: from creating a club vibe to showing the image of a new pet goat. Despite a few moments when it is not clear about the movement choices and one character’s diction was a bit unclear at times, these are minor observations in a piece that is resplendently energetic and poignant.

Flashbang is a perfect title for this piece. A flashbang is a stun grenade that creates sound and noise to cause confusion without much bodily harm. This story is about the disorientation of a major change in the lives of these young men and how they deal with the aftermath. It also serves a reminder that we can make it through the most crushing experiences… when we work as an ensemble.

FLASHBANG by James Lewis at Lion & Unicorn Theatre

6-17 September 2022

Box Office https://www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com/whats-on

Performed by Henry Brackenridge, Sam Kacher, Emmanuel Olusanya, Fred Wardale, (Dan Nash)

Directed by David Brady

Associate Director: Jess Barton

Movement Director: Lucy Glassbrook

Production Photography: Ross Kernahan

Reviewed by Mariam Mathew