DRIFTING

Southwark Playhouse Borough

★★★

“a darkly humorous, moving, and slightly unconventional tribute to a lost generation”

‘Drifting’, written and directed by Andrew Muir in collaboration with Ardent8 Ensemble, brings an underrepresented group of actors to the London stage – those from a predominantly working-class background. This is laudable and to be highly commended in an industry increasingly dominated by those who come from wealth and class privilege.

The play is set against a backdrop of a coastal town shrouded in sea mist – but for the twenty-six-year-old protagonist of the piece convincingly played by Trae Walsh – the mist is more of a fog that threatens to obscure his dream of escaping to the big city. This young university graduate, who has stacked shelves in the local retail park for some years, is in part, reluctant to move on out of loyalty to both his girlfriend and parents and perhaps also fear of the unknown. ‘Drifting’ explores the economic uncertainty and courage it takes to pursue a different path and will certainly resonate with the younger generation. ‘Drifting’ also resonates broadly, as its theme of life-changing decisions is universal.

There is much humour in this piece and occasional moments of joy although this is often undercut by a sense of the characters making do and scraping by. In one moment, out of pent-up frustration for his predicament, our young protagonist claims that ‘the closest I’ll get to Naples is fucking Nando’s.’

The actors work well as an ensemble and there is much raw talent on display here including that of Walsh who plays the Young Man. Toby Batt – the father who works as a taxi driver, and Phoebe Woodbridge the mother, also pull off playing much older characters and their well-meaning but small-town mentality is convincing and emotionally relatable. Lewis Allen’s well observed portrayal of a supermarket manager who has sold out to the system is often hilarious and Yarrow Spillane too puts in a fine performance as the Young Man’s girlfriend who is quite happy staying put.

Bethan Wall, the set and costume designer, has provided the audience with a set that highlights important themes in the play and includes scaffolding, an enormous ladder and flickering promenade lights. Characters either climb the huge ladder as low paid workers to stack shelves or in a desperate attempt to escape the often-grim reality of living in a deprived coastal town.

There is a strong rhythm and forward momentum to the writing particularly in the earlier scenes. The script is also interwoven with a poetic lyricism which helps to give greater depth and richness to the piece. As do the more tender moments between some of the characters: the dance between the young man and his friend and work colleague (beautifully played by Amirah Alabere) and the portrayal of the working-class parents whose love for their son is ultimately misguided. However, some departures into fantasy and surrealism, although well-intentioned and ambitious, I felt were at times more mystifying than mysterious. The ending of the play also doesn’t quite hit the mark as the line between realism, surrealism and social commentary is blurred and consequently somewhat confusing.

‘Drifting’ follows close on the heels of another play (‘The Chaos That Has Been And Will No Doubt Return’) also staged recently at Southwark Playhouse . This too centred around a working-class character who wished to escape from his small town. Southwark Playhouse deserves credit for showcasing these voices; ‘Drifting’ is a darkly humorous, moving, and slightly unconventional tribute to a lost generation.

DRIFTING

Southwark Playhouse Borough

Reviewed on 18th November 2025

by Tim Graves

Photography by Mark Douet

DRIFTING

STRIKE! at the Southwark Playhouse

★★★★★

“There are more laughs than might be expected balanced with a poignancy that brought some of this audience close to tears”

Ardent Theatre Company presents the story, written by Tracy Ryan, of nine Irish shopgirls and one shop boy who after refusing to handle South African goods embark on nearly three years of strike action which culminates in a landmark ruling from the Irish parliament.

The set is effectively simple (Designer Libby Watson): a set of double doors in front of which a picket line will be formed for much of the action. The name of the Dublin store Dunnes is spelt out in coloured lights. A monochrome outline of what will become South Africa’s national flag is painted out on the floor.

The story starts within the store itself and a group of high-spirited shop girls are preparing to start work, changing their clothes into the regulation shop uniform. One of them, Mary Manning (Chloe O’Reilly) is about to change their lives forever when following an edict from their Union, she refuses to handle a South African grapefruit. She is duly suspended by the shop management and a walk out in solidarity from all the shopgirls ensues.

From time to time, a narrator tells us where we are. Karen (Jessica Regan) ably takes the brunt of this task but the role is nicely shared around other characters. There are two stories being told here. Firstly, that of the camaraderie and resilience of the striking shop-workers and then that of the bigger picture, the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Amidst much light-heartedness, a dignity is provided with the arrival of Nimrod Sejake (Mensah Bediako), a South African exile of twenty years and former prison mate of Nelson Mandela. From him the shop-workers (and the audience) learn of the horrors of the apartheid regime and why the strike really matters.

As the story progresses, we learn small bits about each of the strikers in turn. Much amusing repartee forms around the effervescent Liz (Anne O’Riordan); Vonnie (Doireann May White) is in danger of losing her house; Tommy (Adam Isla O’Brien) is beaten up by the Garda in a brilliantly danced solo scene with effective blood red spotlighting (Lighting Designer Jamie Platt). Versatile Paul Carroll takes up the double roles of sleazy tie-fiddling shop manager Paul and Union Leader Brendan with just the change of a sweater and a restyling of his hair.

But this is predominantly an ensemble piece and the slick movement of the group, directed by Kirsty Patrick Ward, is excellent and the sharing of dialogue fluent. Small set pieces within the narrative provide dramatic variety. The ensemble don headscarves to become a group of angry mothers, sport plastic bags and umbrellas for a scene in the rain, sing a beautifully performed rendition of trade union folk classic Which Side Are You On?

There is much to be enjoyed here in a non-stop ninety minutes. There are more laughs than might be expected balanced with a poignancy that brought some of this audience close to tears. The tale is well-presented, brilliantly performed, and, at the same time, both genuinely moving and entertaining.

DRIFTING

Southwark Playhouse Borough

★★★

“a darkly humorous, moving, and slightly unconventional tribute to a lost generation”

DRIFTING

Southwark Playhouse Borough

Reviewed on 18th November 2025

by Tim Graves

Photography by Mark Douet

Recently reviewed at Southwark Playhouse venues:

DRIFTING

DRIFTING

DRIFTING

STRIKE! at the Southwark Playhouse

★★★★★

“There are more laughs than might be expected balanced with a poignancy that brought some of this audience close to tears”

Ardent Theatre Company presents the story, written by Tracy Ryan, of nine Irish shopgirls and one shop boy who after refusing to handle South African goods embark on nearly three years of strike action which culminates in a landmark ruling from the Irish parliament.

There is much to be enjoyed here in a non-stop ninety minutes. There are more laughs than might be expected balanced with a poignancy that brought some of this audience close to tears. The tale is well-presented, brilliantly performed, and, at the same time, both genuinely moving and entertaining.

Reviewed on 17th April 2023

by Phillip Money

Photography by Mark Douet

Previously reviewed at Southwark Playhouse:

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