Tremors is the new play from Brighton based Broken Silence Theatre. The play is written by award winning writer Tim Cook who trained at RADA and the Royal Court Young Writers Programme and directed by Paul Macauley.
Tremors is the tale of Tom Crowe, rising star of the Labour Party, caught up in a scandal following an incident in a hotel room with a senior party member. Turning to the party spin doctor for advice he is sent to his home town of Eastbourne to make amends in an attempt to rescue his career. He finds the seaside town has become a haven for vandalism and on the verge of a riot. When faces from his past emerge, he has to make choices between his political career and the future of the community he grew up in and the friends he left behind.
The conflicted politician is played by William Vasey, convincing as the smooth talking Oxford educated man with his aspirations for party leadership in tatters. Cook himself plays Chris, a friend from the past full of dark secrets and Cerys Knighton plays his sister who comes to Crowe to ask for help. Vicky Winning embraces the role of Lisa, the spin doctor tasked with fixing Crowe’s mess and stage managing his response. A conversation between the two women is a high point as they challenge each other’s life choices.
The acting is strong from the cast but in a short hour, Tremors touches on some interesting issues yet doesn’t cover them deeply enough. All four characters merit more development which would make the tale more compelling. There are a lot of emotions at play and I came away wanting more. I hope this short play becomes a longer piece as there’s a lot here worth saying.
Reviewed by Rhiannon Evans