Run Rebel – York Theatre Royal

Writer: Manjeet Mann

Director: Tessa Walker

Pilot Theatre’s vibrant production of Manjeet Mann’s superb adaptation of her own novel takes place on a stage with a ramp at each side and props, furniture and equipment scattered on the fringes of the stage: chairs, a coat rack for instant changing, and most important of all a video projector to set up a variety of images on a screen at the back of the stage. Some of these are visual enactions of what is happening on stage; others project words and phrases to emphasise Amber’s state of mind or, most touchingly, a note from her mother, misspelt, but confident.

Amber is a teenager with problems. She cannot rid herself of fear of the man opposite who murdered his daughter; she understands her feelings for David, in her class at school, but can’t make sense of the signals he is sending her; she imagines a girl in her class looks down on her; above all her family life is becoming unbearable. Her drunken overbearing illiterate father, Harbans, rules the house with an erratic iron rod, her sister Ruby has left home to get married as soon as possible and her mother Surinder lives in a permanent state of terror (and overwork).

The turning point comes when her father bans Amber, an excellent athlete, from joining the school team and then an eccentric History teacher asks the class to consider the stages of revolution. Amber follows the advice, initially joining the team on the sly and teaching her mother to read, and gradually, via the odd hospital visit, everything works out.

Jessica Kaur is outstanding as Amber in Tessa Walker’s imaginative and highly involving production. She communicates eagerly and sensitively with the audience, conveys the sadness and anger as well as the energy and happiness of the character, asking for the bits she likes, often concerning David, to be repeated. The production as a whole is full of life, the other five actors joining Kaur in playing, racing, studying history, even partying.

Apart from that all pick up a variety of parts. Pushpinder Chani’s main role is as a bitterly unhappy Harbans, set on doing nothing but spread his unhappiness through the family, but among other parts he is an entertainingly nutty teacher. Asha Kingsley develops Surinder with telling determination, from the meekly subservient to the stage where she insists to Amber that they go on. Simran Kular brings out the ambiguity of Ruby’s feelings about what Amber is doing before finally committing herself. Hannah Millward (Amber and David’s friend Tara) and Kiran Raywilliams (David) form a delightful duo, full of physical comedy, and Millward also takes the key role of P.E. teacher.

A play that alternates between fun and despair, between achievement and blank negativism ends up with a genuine feel good ending, the sense that Amber has earned her happiness.

Runs until 11th March 2023.