East

Violent, filthy, funny, visceral, Steven Berkoff’s East is set in rough 1960s East End London, with dialogue in a mixture of Cockney and Shakespearean English, a great deal of sex and bad language, and a lot of humour. By Moonlight’s adaptation was slick and stylish and the cast had an impressive mastery of the long speed soliloquies and a raw physical stage presence, all held together by the smug, knowing keyboard player. Their mimes for the fairground rides and motorcycle scene were particularly outstanding. All the cast were well chosen for their roles, but the highlight of the play was Andy Currams’ Mother, with her clownish facial expressions and nervous giggle.

The Warren, 6 May 2013

Rating: