On Tour, Royal Court Upstairs, London
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Burke's characters ought to be intriguing: a specific breed of dodgy dealers who tag along when British soccer fans rove abroad, using the crowds as cover for smuggling. But the whole genre of darkly comic crime thrillers feels tired now. Also On Tour's first half, set in a prison cell, is animated only by cocaine snorting - with the powder bemusingly left, by director Matt Wilde, for any passing screw to see on Lisa Lillywhite's set of shoddy, squeaky plastic boxes.
Burke's slangy dialogue can be vibrant and entertaining. Nonetheless, his cockney, manc and scouse geezers - Daz, Hawk and Ray - aren't all that differentiated and the political/philosophical references are too patently imposed by the author this time round. The significance of Darwin's natural selection theory is glaringly obvious, as Hawk preys on the seemingly gullible Daz, and their conversation about indistinguishable fake and genuine currency alerts you to the possibility of conman and sucker switching, so later plot twists are no surprise.
Perhaps most striking is the common ground which On Tour shares with Shoot The Crow (see adjacent review) in highlighting the self-interest behind teamwork and suggesting law-breaking is the only way some see of beating the system. To their credit, Wilde's actors are doing a fine job. Andrew Schofield exudes dangerous acidity as the old hand, Ray. Jeff Hordley is excellent as the chummy, cunning Hawk and newcomer Paul Anderson, playing Daz with swagger, deserves to go places as well.
To 22 October, 020 7565 5000, then Liverpool Everyman, 28 October to 19 November, 0151 709 4776
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments