Hide and Seek – Park Theatre, London

Writer: Tobia Rossi

Director and translator: Carlotta Brentan

Italian playwright Tobia Rossi has found a novel way of exploring the growing pressures placed on teenagers in modern times. His 85-minute two-hander is a dark and sometimes shocking parable for the age of social media,

In Hide and Seek, the hider is Gio (Louis Scarpa), a teenage schoolboy who we assume to be gay, and the seeker is Mirko (Nico Cetrulo), a slightly older boy from the same school in rural Italy. Gio has taken refuge in a remote cave to escape the bullying and torrents of online abuse hurled at someone who happens to be different from their social group. His absence could be construed by the wider world as kidnapping or murder and, when Mirko finds him, he becomes complicit in a growing deceit.

The boys’ conversations centre around TikTok, WhatsApp, “hits”, “likes” and so on, They share their admiration of comic book superheroes. When Mirko relays news of the frenzy that Gio’s disappearance is causing in the local community and throughout Italy, Gio shows more delight in his newfound celebrity status than concern about worrying family and friends, thereby highlighting the dehumanising effect of social media.

Rossi’s script requires Gio and Mirko to be both mischievous boys and sexually awakened young men. Occasionally the dialogue jars, feeling not quite right for a situation, but the actors, both excellent, have few problems in bridging the gap between the different sides of each character. The bond between the pair grows and takes on more sinister undertones as Mirko becomes dominant and manipulative and Gio’s ambitions become more irrational. Once more, youngsters who are at ease in the virtual world are seen to struggle when dealing with real emotions.

Having translated to play into English, Carlotta Brentan directs a production that is consistently engrossing and equally disturbing. The entire drama unfolds inside a cave which has no natural light, leaving set designer Constance Comparot to fill the tight studio space with a central representation of a rock and Gio’s essential provisions scattered around. Seemingly more challenging is the job of lighting designer and Alex Forey copes admirably.

In the closing stages, Rossi’s play seems to emulate the plight of the two lads, finding itself in a dark place with no clear escape route. The conclusion which the writer finds is not entirely satisfying, but, at least it gives cause for hard reflection.

Runs until 30 March 2024