Play

Every Saturday, Dan attends a drama group and today was their first end of term show. The theme was, approximately, what goes on behind closed doors and the students had written four pieces, each set in a domestic situation, with the show punctuated by Madness' 'Our House'.

In one respect - and one respect only - they were almost unwatchable. It wasn't the acting that was the problem; the students were all relaxed and clearly happily playing their parts. No, the issue was with the writing. Not that that was bad, either; the dialogue was natural and the stories each had a narrative arc.

The issue for me was with the drama of the situations. There was a death from cancer, a drugs overdose, a character with PTSD, and plenty of unsympathetic authority. It was difficult to watch these young playwrights and actors taking on these big themes and wielding them so recklessly. There was no subtlety, no slow turn of the knife. But this is their innocence, I guess. The impacts are all driven by significant events: there is no death by a thousand cuts to be found in this youthful writing.

It was, however, very impressive and, of course, these young dramatists are just finding their way. It was a fascinating insight into them and how they perceive the world around them and, as someone whose been living with teenagers for ten years now, I'd like to see more of it.