Violence and Son, Royal Court *****

The Jerwood Theatre Upstairs is such an exiting space to walk into. You never know what form it will take. It can transform from a typical raked seating to a classroom to a grimy room with weathered deck chairs and decaying walls. The play itself is quite remarkable. It's disturbing, devastating yet also tremendously funny at times. It is certainly the most wholesome play to come out of the Royal Court in the past year if not the best. Owen's script messes with your head and takes you to dark places. The plot twists in unexpected ways and uses characters which scare you. Hamish Pirie's direction shows an understanding of how to play in the round in a way that many directors don't have. He maintains the intimacy it brings whilst not neglecting part of the audience in the process. He also encourages some of the most remarkably naturalistic performances from all four members of the cast. David Moorst's Liam is inspired, showing a subtly estranged performance and keeps the character real as the plot takes you to darker places. All four members of this wonderful production deserves an award for their complex and frightening portrayals. Jason Hughes' 'violence' is played in a way that the audience's sympathy for him and the other characters fluctuate for the duration. This is the Royal Court packing a punch to the gut leaving me shocked and profoundly moved.