Cotton Wool

Published Monday 7 April 2008 at 14:35 by Katie Jackson

Cotton Wool weaves together intelligent writing from Ali Taylor, thoughtful direction from Lisa Spirling and fantastic performances from young actors who demonstrate the wealth of talent available to British theatre. The story isn’t particularly challenging, but is serenely beautiful in its own unassuming way. It’s not the most dynamic of productions either, with a sparse, derelict set, unchanging throughout, and yet there is an energy about this piece that drives it along forcefully.

Callum and Gussie are two impoverished and parentless young men, living in scarcity and alienated from a society that condemns them. As they struggle to come to grips with the loss of their alcoholic mother, two powerful forces contrive to pull them apart. One the consuming sea they feel connects them to their mother and the other a pretty girl desperate for something tangible in life.

The plot is well constructed and the characters are given plenty of depth. There is also a pleasing freshness in the softness of the portrayal of a generation that is too easily condemned. This is a play that is comfortable with itself, managing to create drama without resorting to violence or swearing to drive home its own importance. Like its central character, Callum, it is mild, unassuming and caring, despite its tough appearance.