A springtime production of "Discontented Winter: House Remix" takes us into an apocalyptic world not so dissimilar from our own. The youth upon which the action centres feels lied to, betrayed by nameless, faceless authority figures. Bryony Lavery's play could not seem more contemporary: weapons of mass destruction, mobile phones and Mcdonalds are the concerns of the day. However, Shakespearean blank verse rubs shoulders with street slang as the plot takes us from Richard III by way of Richard and Judy. Two young princes are kidnapped and taken to the Tower. But in this case the Tower is a tower block and the kidnappers are two rival gangs: the "low streeties" and the "top totties", with "Hal" and "Ed" bearing a striking (read: libellous) resemblance to those two other polo playing, good looking princes.

Farce ensues when the two groups realise they have both kidnapped the wrong prince. This proves to be the sum total of the plot, but plot is not what is important in this production. Language, performance, invention; these are the driving forces behind Lavery's play, written especially for young performers as part of the Shell Connections festival for new writing. The Pegasus is ideal for such a production. Its intimacy suits the mobile scenery which is moved around by the cast. Much is made of the physical aspect of the set: car chases are simulated, the gangs vie for our attention on opposite sides of the stage. The audience is caught up in this energy.

Reading the programme one character is only named "Slapper": characterisation is not to be subtle. Caricatures and stereotypes abound throughout. Much humour is derived from the contrasts between the posturing street crew and the fawning rich set. Performances from the two princes were particularly comic: their braying laughs and cries of "yah" filling the theatre. Such a small venue lent itself to these over exuberant performances. Ronan - threatening leader of the "low streeties" - had a maniacal stare and a dominating belligerent voice which I found unnerving at such close quarters. In a large cast, which often acted as a kind of shouty Shakespearean chorus, I was especially impressed with Olivia Zetterstorm-Strang as the outsider Cheviot. A Trekkie detached from her own disenchanting reality, the character serves as a commentator on the action. The actress provided a fine performance with both comic and tragic turns. It is Cheviot that brings the frenetic action to a conclusion, providing what she calls "the message". This is just one of many post-modern moments in the self-declared "youth issues play". Cheviot's succinct but accurate message is that: "the world wobbles on".

In this play, youth culture has its own kind of poetry. "Discontented Winter: House Remix" provides an antidote to theatrical pretensions. Here is a youth group having fun with their own drama, and really satisfying the audience into the bargain: truly a "brave new world". As for appropriation of the Bard, a phrase from both the play and a car insurance advert comes to mind: they "quote him happy".

Andrea McDonald, 31.03.04