The Royal Exchange treat us to a bit of local history with their first play of 2015, the world premiere of Rona Munro’s Scuttlers. The play follows the lives of young Manchester street gangs of the late 1800s, who rather enjoyed a good “scuttle”, slang for a gang fight. Scuttlers follows the members of the Bengal Street Tigers and their rivals from Prussia Street. Not quite old enough to know better, nor leading a life particularly worth living, the scuttlers live for a good scrap, with no tangible prize on offer.
From the second we enter the theatre space, we are immersed in the world of the scuttlers. A striking cotton-based centrepiece immediately draws the eye, and the combination of unfamiliar banging sounds, with Denis Jones’ unsettling soundscapes, creates an uneasy, tense atmosphere. And when the action begins, the sense of energy is absolutely overwhelming. With a ten-strong principal cast, and over thirty members of the community ensemble, the stage never feels bare. The fight is on.
We take all-too-brief glimpses into the lives of these unfortunate urchins. Young Margaret (Caitriona Ennis) is looking for escape from her abusive stepfather, and seeks refuge with Theresa (Rona Morison), queen of the Bengal Street Tigers. Joe (Tachia Newall) has returned from war to see his new child, and his indifferent ex-partner Susan (Anna Krippa). Jimmy (Dan Parr) seems to be more interested in engaging in a power struggle with fellow Bengal Street Tigers gang member Sean (Bryan Parry), than fighting with his supposed rivals. And Thomas (David Judge) wishes to follow in the footsteps of his estranged father, which may be tricky given he doesn’t know who he was or what he did.
It was surprising, given the sheer number of characters, just how quickly we got to know these young men and women. This is due to both Rona Munro’s wonderful script, and the phenomenal abilities of the cast. Special mentions must go to David Judge, who is always a pleasure to watch, Dan Parr, who was especially menacing, and Caitriona Ennis, who blew me away in Angel Meadow last year, and did the same again in a more subdued performance as Margaret.
Having such a large number of community ensemble members could be tricky, but under the movement direction of Frantic Assembly’s Eddie Kay, the extended cast formed one living organism, adding another level to an already fantastic play. Every member was so committed to the performance; huge congratulations to everyone involved. And additional congratulations to Duncan Ross as the Policeman, who drew a huge laugh at a very unexpected moment.
As mentioned earlier, Denis Jones created some fantastic soundscapes throughout the piece, completely live. This, combined with Fly Davis’ understated set, resulted in an unexpectedly immersive piece of theatre.
The final moments of Scuttlers are especially poignant, reminding the audience that these historical events are not too far removed from modern society. It felt sad to be saying goodbye to these characters; I would have happily spent more time with every one of them.
I love that the Royal Exchange takes risks with plays like Scuttlers. While it may not have the same undeniably popular appeal as Little Shop of Horrors, or Maxine Peake’s appearance as Hamlet, it really is something special. I would especially recommend the play to young people, in the hopes it will inspire, inform and entertain them. Here’s to another great year of entertainment from the Royal Exchange; we’re off to a great start.
Scuttlers runs until 7th March 2015. For tickets and information, click here.
Image credit: Jonathan Keenan