Men stuck in the confined spaces of boats are proving a fruitful topic for theatre.
The submarine-set Kursk thrilled audiences at the Young Vic, and now comes this outstanding drama from 23-year-old Jesse Briton about struggling trawlermen in Devon. It's one of the most accomplished pieces of debut playwriting that I've seen in a long time.
Things are tough in the fishing industry, with middlemen cutting the price they're prepared to pay for the daily catch and foreign "agency" workers undercutting the wage packets of the locals. Briton wears his research lightly but assuredly and in just a few minutes creates an entire, compelling world of quietly desperate, fiercely loyal men who hide their worries about a fading way of life behind playful banter. When the skipper suggests an illicit voyage with a storm brewing, we know we're in for a mighty tense 80 minutes.
There's no tedious briny machismo here, just a quiet dignity in men carrying on with a centuries-old tradition of skilled manual labour. The six-strong cast create fascinatingly detailed characters whose days-long sea voyages lead to myriad problems in their personal lives, and Briton directs his own work to perfection. With writing this vivid there's no need for fuss, and Briton conjures everything from a table, a few chairs, some yellow oilskins and traditional sea shanties sung between scenes. A canny film producer could do worse than look into the rights.
It's that good.
Until October 22 (020 7407 0234, southwarkplayhouse.co.uk).
Bound
Southwark Playhouse
Shipwright Yard, corner of Tooley Street and Bermondsey Street, SE1 2TF
