Samuel Bailey’s latest play is a new take on an old can of worms. I’ve never heard of Americans grumbling or making snide comments about someone ‘bettering’ themselves and ‘getting on in the world’ – terms which in the British context are in themselves loaded. However, for the British, the wriggling knots we get into over this subject are as ubiquitous as talk about the weather.

The two central characters in the play, Lliam and Fletch (Eddie-Joe Robinson and Kyle Rowe) are from a section of society that happily wallows in the easy gratification of a beer, a fag and a fuck – attitudes which arguably hold back significant parts of the population who see education as ‘wussy’ or ‘for them (not us)’ and in some sense traitorous to their own limited outlook.

However, Lliam, despite the odds stacked against him, has managed to overcome his ‘culture’ and won a place at Oxford and consequently a boost to his life chances. His best mate, Fletch, however, sees Lliam’s success in terms of his own selfish loss, as a kind of infidelity to a strong idea of male bonding. His best mate has become a dead weight, holding him back. He is made to feel ill at ease and somehow guilty about his achievement. However it wasn’t clear to me why he valued the friendship so much beyond nostalgia and a misplaced sense of loyalty. That of course is the hardest part of all for Lliam, recognizing he has outgrown what had previously been so important. And yet it was not clear why he felt he did not fit in with his new life and surroundings and why he could not enjoy his success. He apparently had a new group of university friends and his girlfriend had no issues with his past other than what she considered an inexplicable loyalty to a violent thug who had ‘bottled’ someone over some insignificant matter of honour. The issue was perplexingly unresolved

Jesse Jones’ direction is astute and well tuned to the linguistic cadences and emotional pulls of the characters. The opening and closing of doors of opportunity and choice is a clever device although, in execution, lacking in subtlety and slightly jarring against the well-observed naturalistic dialogue.

Whilst there is no doubting the passion and accuracy of the writing it’s a play which raises lots of important questions – perhaps too many for one play – and is not selective enough in its targets: Is life a lottery? Are we fixed in our birth class? Should we try and change who and what we are? Can we be traitors to our class? Are the British conditioned to begrudge success? Can we never celebrate it in another? Is character change a bad thing? … and no doubt a few more.

The vigorous dialogue is well matched by the all-round committed acting that gives blood, sweat and a beating heart to each of the characters that tumble fully formed onto the stage in what is a vital piece of drama.

★★★★☆  Graham Wyles  30th March