YOU 2.0

This was a new play by Welsh Playwright Alys Metcalf which was commissioned as part of the 2025 Connections Festival, The National Theatre’s annual festival now in its 30th year. Make Your Mark will be performing it again in a few weeks’ time at The Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton as part of that festival. Also attending the same performance as myself was a representative from the National Theatre who was there to answer questions and advise the cast and crew ahead of their visit to the Royal & Derngate. It was directed by Mrs C. Purcell, in her first directing role for the school.

The story centres around two teenagers, Martha and Isaac with serious issues who find themselves forced into playing a therapy video game online called YOU 2.0, but build an unlikely relationship via their gaming avatars. Martha is a fatherless teenager with serious anger issues who is suspended from school for theft, whilst Isaac is struggling to cope with mental health issues following the death of his mother and has been self-harming.

The stage, which is huge at Mark Rutherford School, under the Management of Miss C Ellson was bare except for a beanbag stage left for Martha to sit on and a comfortable, padded, office style chair stage right for Isaac. Running down either side was a ramp upon which 3 avatars alternately issued the video game’s instructions and to the rear was a gauze screen, behind which the cast held coloured LED torches to cleverly make the visual instructions for the game. Simple but very effective!

This clever lighting design was by Mr A McKenzie and perfectly operated by Maddy Baldrey. Sound design was by Mrs C Purcell and Mrs G Farnsworth and operated by Jamie Worrall and Mr A McKenzie.

Costumes by the Director especially for the avatars were particularly clever, especially the head gear, with for example, coloured Cones for the 3 video avatars, a large bone for Screw This, Martha’s avatar and a Star Wars style cloak and hood for Dead Inside, Isaacs avatar.  Visually very effective.

The two leads were extremely good, Jasmine Coutain as Martha was the epitome of an angry teenager in full rebellion with society. A very confident performance indeed. Definitely one to watch. Riley McGrath was her perfect sparing partner, with a very well pitched performance of a teenager, lacking confidence and suffering from life’s knocks following the premature death of his mother. Both performances mature beyond their years.

Kyla Boyce as Martha’s avatar, Screw This and Michael Oliver as Isaacs’ avatar Dead Inside had many quick fire speeches, as these two were speaking the text messages between Martha and Isaac. Particularly effective, and quite hard for an actor to do, as they kept tone out of their texting, thus imitating automaton electronic communication perfectly.

The three instructional Avatars played by Fadun Adenugu, Hannah Clarke and Julia Odwrot, stood in a triangle and moved round in perfect unison with a subtle touch from the one behind them, so each took it in turns to give the gaming instructions, again without tone. Cleverly done.

Anthony Hubball, actually looks older than his years so made an excellent imposing Headmaster, showing frustration with Martha’s rebellious ways particularly well. 

Nice little cameos from Amarah Lendore as Martha’s sister Ivy, Mica Bedeau as Mrs Edwards / Ruth, Emily Laid and Bradley Tazviwana as Isaac’s friends Danny and Lucas, Kenton Bennett as a very athletic Dancing Deana / Bingo Caller. Harry Farnsworth as the Disclaimer did a great job of reciting the Terms and Conditions of the game at breakneck speed, just like you hear on radio adverts. Very amusing! Other members of the game included Samuel Field as Little Timmy, Samantha Phillips as Mindless Monster, Emily Coutts as Freud and Nika Paul, Lydia Edwards and Prince Ndungu as The Game.

A lot of hard work had gone into this show and it showed in the confidence of the performers, who were spot on with their delivery, with what was some heavyweight, quick fire dialogue and they didn’t rush their lines. I did come out thinking I’d need to see it again to fully grasp its intense plot, and it’s a shame it was a fairly small audience, but Mrs Purcell can be rightly proud of her first piece of directing, with plenty of original ideas throughout.  My only criticism really is, do learn to do a coordinated bow guys! Looked messy at the end.  Talking of the end, the LED lightshow behind the gauze spelling out YOU 2.0 was a great finishing touch.

So, well done Make Your Mark, I can only wish you the best of luck in the competition at the Royal and Derngate on 4th April – Break-a-leg!

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