Reality Chokes

New Town Theatre, Freemason's Hall    5 - 30 August @ 22.15    Real London Ensemble (UK)

In Rasta Steve’s studio in Brixton, the ex-members of the punk band Sonic Generation meet up for the first time in twenty years. They’re still a bunch of malcontents and they’re still at each other’s throats. John is a junkie. Plod has an injunction preventing him going near his son. “You’re all so angry”, Rob’s girlfriend tells them.

Why has Plod called them all together? One last gig. But it isn’t going to happen until old wounds have been reopened; until they’ve argued about what punk meant; until one of them is dead.

This snapshot of the punk mentality has real energy and a playing speed that’s as fast and furious as the music itself. Its feeling of authenticity is due not only to the quality of the acting but also to the fact that two of the actors are experienced musicians, the drummer having been in the punk band The Aggravators supporting The Clash on tour.

Punk was partly a reaction to the pretentiousness of the glam and stadium rock stars, and if there’s one quality these misfits share it’s candour. When one of them has qualms about them even being able to play their old stuff without murdering it, someone replies “You can’t murder those songs: they’re shite already”.