A trip to the National Theatre to see Market Boy (just before it closes). I always enjoy it when the NT puts on a bit of show and from the moment a Ford van is driven on stage I’m sold. The play itself is okay, standard themes set to a confused melange of 1980s moments that has nothing to do with actual history.

One thing that seems to cause perpetual problems for theatre companies is representing teenagers. In general what you get is some twenty-something hamming up a grotesque. No difference here, but this time the dialogue isn’t a help either. If you’re not 100% how teenagers talk then don’t try to write them. Shift the age five to seven years forward and save everyone the embarassment. Nothing in the script required a teenaged protagonist.

The supporting cast were great with good turns from Gary McDonald, Paul Moriarty and John Marquez; all of whom made the show for me.

Anyway aside from the show I’d just like to say NT and Tincan Ltd. congratulations on combining forces to produce a genuinely shit website. Now, having shown us that you can do it can you get something decent together that makes it is easy to find information on productions and, god forbid, buy tickets for them?