Back Down

Back down is the story of three close friends who, prior to one leaving for uni, plan one last adventure. Luke, Zia and Tommy have been close since meeting in year 5. Luke is the relatively sensible organised one, Zia is the uptight Muslim boy and Tommy is the not so bright one with an over-active imagination. Between the three of them they seem to muddle through.

So, this last hurrah is a trip into wildest Wales to climb Snowdon. We quickly find out that Tommy has organised it. Not. So it is bound to go belly up. But along the way they straighten out their places in the group and learn how to move on into adulthood. A sort of Brummie Inbetweeners, if you like, peppered with references to action movies, as teenage boys tend to do.

What ensues is an amazingly funny and revealing piece of writing by first time playwright Steven Camden, renowned spoken word artiste, and based on a real life experience. The author's antecedents explain exactly why the writing is so descriptive and narrative driven, none more so than when drugs come into the tale.

Produced by Birmingham Rep, this touring show stars Sam Cole, Waleed Akhtar and Lawrence Walker who very capably portray the three boys as well as the sinister Rafe.

Back Down is on at Upstairs at The Western again on Thursday 16 April and then on tour til at least the end of May

First published in Western Gazette
(c) Paul Towers 15/4/2015