Review: TOBACCO ROAD, VAULT Festival

It's the Roaring Twenties in London. The Great War is over, having killed millions of people with it; citizens are going back to their disheveled lives and organised crime thrives in a city that's getting back up on its feet.

Incognito Theatre Company present Tobacco Road, a fiery new play directed by Roberta Zuric. It sees two minor gangs coming together to rule over the capital and go from rags to (stolen) riches in an exciting rollercoaster of a show. The company engages the imagination of the crowd from the very start with little-to-no props; they use physical theatre with artistry, mastering the art of storytelling.

Zuric is remarkably precise and creates a cohesive and well-balanced ensemble to deliver a clear vision. She manages to give as much substance to the more movement-oriented parts of the play as to the ones loaded with information, keeping up the narrative standard of the piece at all times.

It's fast-paced and deliciously slapstick, even when it's showing its meatier and more earnest side. The cast - consisting of Angus Castle-Doughty, Jennie Eggleton, Atlanta Hayward, George John, and Dan Whitlam - take the stage by storm: tireless and thrilling, they are a well-oiled machine choreographed by Zak Nemorin.

Altogether,Tobacco Road exquisitely entertains and reveals an exceptional amount of showmanship for Incognito - who unquestionably are a company to keep an eye on.

Tobacco Road runs at VAULT Festival until 17 February.

Photo credit: Tim Hall