Review: THE SILENCE AND THE NOISE, Tom Powell - English Touring Theatre & Papatango

One of three winners of the Papatango New Writing Prize 2021, The Silence and the Noise is directed by George Turvey and captures the story of two young people on the edge.

Every teenager is stuck between childhood and maturity, innocence and experience, hope and uncertainty, but for Daize, the challenge is even greater.  Stuck between her love for her vulnerable mother and her dangerous friendship with Ant.  Ant, who has appeared out of nowhere and on to her doorstep, bringing with him a whole world of trouble.

This piece is very relevant in today’s culture.  Teenage angst mixed with drugs and mild aggression whilst trying to protect the only thing that matters - family.  It’s moving to see the relationship between Ant (Aldous Cioajlo-Squire) and Daize (Shakira Riddell-Morales) go from hard exterior to almost soften to the point where an allegiance is created.

We are moved between scenes with music (composed by Asaf Zohar) satisfactorily in keeping and appropriate to keep the mood, bass heavy soft rock.  Music that our main protagonists would also be listening to.

It’s an interesting piece, offering an insight to a teenage life we may never have experienced, but may now just be able to understand.

**** Four Stars

Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin