Bottleneck

By Amy Stow

Luke Barnes' powerful new play, Bottleneck, is a moving tribute to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster at Sheffield Wednesday's football stadium on April 15, 1989. 96 Liverpool fans died during an unprescedented crowd crush in the Leppings Lane stand, which the official Taylor Report of 1990 declared was due to, 'the failure of police control.'

Marking the 25th anniversary of that fateful day, this play, produced by HighTide Festival Theatre, commemorates the lives of those lost, whilst serving as a hardhitting reminder of how easily a simple sporting event like this can spiral out of control. Earlier this year, a new inquest into the Hillsborough disaster was opened which is expected to continue until next year, again highlighting how relevant (and unresolved) it remains.

Yet Bottleneck does not attempt to point fingers or assign blame. Its protagonist, 14-year-old Greg, is an avid Liverpool supporter, a bolshy, perpetually wronged teen, who sneaks out of his home (whilst grounded, of course) with his 'mate for life' Tom to watch the match. His tale is peppered with funny anecdotes that draw you into his world (he could be Adrian Mole, if only slightly cooler) whilst he recounts the hours preceding the match.

James Cooney's depiction of Greg is marvellous. He is naive, funny, aggressive and goofy, all rolled into one. He loves to hate girls, saves his dinner money, is awed by the prospect of a 'tache, and has a rocky relationship with his father. Cooney's innocence as Greg is as touching as his cursing is wince-inducing. But it was his enactment of the Hillsborough disaster itself, and the ensuing aftermath, that left me breathless, unable to hold back tears as I mourned with Cooney for Greg's dashed dreams, being yanked all too soon into a world of perplexing adult emotions.

Bottleneck is timely, and relevant, as riots, unrest and deindividuation continue to wreck havoc in cities across the globe. With excellent direction and a beautifully nuanced performance, Luke Barnes' new play is a bittersweet challenge to watch.

★★★★★

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15th-24th August @ 13:30 (1 hour)

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