The Frontline

The gin and tonic crowd were in for the shock last week as Shakespeare’s Globe opened its doors to the hard hitting contemporary production of The Frontline. Che Walker’s new play, written specifically for The Globe, is set outside Camden tube and has over 22 characters that form the dark and invisible world of the street.

A sermon driven stripper, god fearing heroin addicts, a peace loving bouncer and a failing actor, to name but a few, all come together to paint a picture of the city’s diverse and forgotten characters whose scenes and lives all interlink. However, despite the hustle and bustle of this busy stage, these characters are isolated in their hidden despair, which adds to their overall sense of loneliness and impending doom. Interlace this with strong street humour and witty narration from your local hot dog vendor and you are in for a gritty ride.

Mathew Dunster’s aggressive and often cheeky direction finds the perfect balance between space and rhythm guiding the audiences around The Globe, grabbing their focus at key moments. Yet despite being such a large cast, it is the smaller moments between the characters that really adds to the productions depth and sense of intimacy.

The cast all stand strong with some explosive performances and vocals from the keys players. It has to be said that there is something deeply refreshing in watching an army of young talent take on a conventional space, tear it up and recreate it as their own. The Frontline does exactly that! By thrusting one of the UK’s most historical venues well into the 21st century, The Frontline takes its own slice of theatrical history and takes us all out of our safety zones, which is about time!

Grab your tickets while you can!

“There is something deeply refreshing in watching an army of young talent take on a conventional space, tear it up and recreate it as their own. The Frontline does exactly that!”