Review of Physical Education – a loud, meaningless lesson in teenage youth | Theater

Men Jonathan Houlston’s witty and compelling play, a school locker room is a refuge for its students. Here, hypermasculinity is practiced in abundance, first dates are held in secret and dangerous revelations of history are carefully whispered.

We meet the guys for the first time as a group, and together they play songs that we’ve been listening to since the TV show. Youth. Banter sprinkled with “your mother” jokes circulates, sexist chats reduce female classmates to targets, and nude photos are passed around like trophies.

But Houlston presents this montage as a starting point, before bringing the band out and dealing with cliches. Finally, we all share our grief. Ringle’s boss Jason (Harry Lynn) may be mean to others, but he’s pretty bad at home. Joe (Houlston) reveals himself to be a bit clueless on his first date with Holly (Anna-Sophia Tutton). Two of the boys are in a silent relationship, afraid of being found out.

Time is of the essence: it’s the last year of school and those are leaving Swansea because the university will not look back, and divide well. Perhaps because of this, Joe is questioning his friendship with Jason, who is always drinking his drinks and teasing him about his weight. Is it an insult, or something worse?

Things culminate in a drunken party, and although Houlston’s more experienced Swansea students don’t know the same opportunity, there’s Laura Wade’s masterful creation. Posh as factions clash, loyalties are broken and a plan to cover their backs is quickly thrown together.

Director Richard Mylan’s production of Grand Ambition he has a showmanship that has been going on for years, not days. All seven actors, including Michelle McTernan as teacher Miss Rider, play familiar characters. The boys jump around Delyth Evans‘ a locker room with talented dancers, dropping punches and throwing up vomit dolls.

The end of the cliffhanger leaves the door open for the second part this story is not really needed. This is the masculinity of all youth: loud but uncertain, fragile but ready to strike.