Persistent Shadows is set in the shadows of a mining village, Bettheshanger, beginning in the 1980s where five friends, Benny, Lucy, Sammy,Paul, and George have grown up together, meeting regularly in their tatty and worn local, The leather Bottle.
As the face of the coal mines changed rapidly under the rule of Thatcher life in the mining village changed too. The resistance to change had an effect on the village. This was echoed across the country during that time. Pit closures, strikes and the solid foundations of these communities were ripped apart as people’s opinions differed.
These effects impact the five friends in a similar way. They all take different paths, and while most embrace the changes and want to move into a different unchartered future, a couple stay entrenched in what they have always known.
When the five meet regularly over the years these differences of opinion divide the friendships and leave scars.
The play follows a historical narrative that focuses on the building of the M25 where people could connect to places easier, opening up new horizons. Which bought with it the rapid rise in Acid House Parties and the variety of recreational drugs that boomed too.
The cast offers a fast-paced and energetic performance throughout. The storyline is interesting to watch from a generational perspective as the cast were all born after these events took place. Having lived through it all, the conflict and violence were broadcast into our homes on a nightly basis. They have certainly captured the divide that many communities went through.
Performance and storyline would benefit from editing and removing some of the unnecessary dialogue to help emphasise the impact that this period in history had on the country. I liked the skeleton of the Prime Minister of that period Margaret Thatcher as they were trying to hold her ghost accountable for riping these communities apart.
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Three Stars.
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
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