Chicken Shed Theatre

28-02-2008
emily for remotegoat

Yard Gal - Feb 08After two tubes, a bus ride and a doable trek through the wilderness of Cockfosters, I make it to my final destination, the almighty and humble Chickenshed theatre.My task for the night was to see a performance by the Chickenshed Studio, about two teenage girls from Hackney, called 'Yard Gal'. It was a two-hand piece of theatre, with nothing but two young actors playing out their roles and the situation that takes place between them. As I have probably mentioned hundreds of times before, I'm really not a fan of "intimate" theatre. But not only was this performance intimate, it was good, so good I actually enjoyed it.The play was based solely around two characters; Boo and Marie, two girls from Hackney who fit the stereotypical 'Yard Gal' status; constantly in trouble with the police, use hard drugs, sleep around to make money to pay for the drugs. Living the catch22 lifestyle that is impossible to break, especially when you have no one to turn to or family to help you. They play out a situation that has happened to them both recently, involving escaping gang war and trying to come to terms with the accidental death of a fellow member of their crew.Both Boo and Marie share the story, playing out situations with vigour, compassion and humour. The characters are still only young teenagers, and not only have to suffer from the pains of adolescence that all teenagers go through; but they also have to deal with situations of grief and pain beyond their years. They are at times vulnerable and desperate for security, confused by the world and its harsh conditions. However these girls also seem to thrive on adversity and destruction, using humour and drugs to escape.As an audience member you're immediately pulled in to their lives and the way they relate their story. It's compelling, intense and a brilliant portrayal of the brutality of living on the streets as a youth. Above all you feel the bond between the two girls, as they both bear the weight of their troubles together, making this a very powerful, compelling and touching piece of modern drama.You need to see this before it's too late.

10-12-2006
maria

I think the show 'Grim Nights and everafter days' was an amazing show. All of them did a great proformance. It was all very professional and I am very impressed.