Substance is a new and original piece by the promising Irish playwright Eva O’Connor. It gives us a raw and unabashed insight into the lives of three lost youths, adrift in a degenerate and secret reality of drug dealing. Acting in it herself, O’Connor gives us access to their fast paced yet paradoxically stunted world, brimming with violence, complicated friendship and confusion. Their already vehement relationship is put under even more strain when the self-proclaimed ringleader, Mikey (John Fauls), introduces Simone (Venice van Sommeron) into the mix. We watch their lives propel out of control until somebody bravely decides to stop chasing the magic dragon and consider the consequences of their mindless existence.
The script is rich with a mix of realistic dialogue and sardonic humour which the actors do a fine job delivering. Fauls convincingly depicts the character of Mikey with a combination of jitter and heated aggression. Sommeron juxtaposes his rabid character, playing Simone with a touch of docility teamed with awareness, Jodie (O’Connor) is a fiery presence and Oscar (Fred Fergus) serves as the sympathetic tonic of the group. Indeed, there is a rich variety of characters and the cast each play their roles well, regrettably however there is no real sense that any of them really evolve.
While the intermittent bursts of physical theatre were flawlessly executed the verdict is still out on whether it worked well in conjunction with the issues the play was trying to address. In a way the choreographed moves broke from the realism which was initially established. Perhaps if these splurges of movement were more abundant throughout the performance then there wouldn’t be such a feeling of incongruence.
Given the subject matter, this play feels aimed mainly at young-adults. Substance is a fresh, relevant and poignant piece for this demographic, not solely because of the play’s handling of contemporary drug culture but also because it is made up of a youthful cast who candidly explore relevant challenges.
