For those who don’t know county lines is where illegal drugs are trafficked from usually a richer area to an area with higher deprivation where young children are coerced into facilitating by a manipulative adult. These kids are selected by adults as they are cheaper to employ, easier to manipulate and are less likely to get caught by the police. The worst thing is that these schemes are constantly happening and as a teacher, I have to become more and more aware of the signs as they become more and more popular. This production was created by Pentabus Theatre Company which is the only professional company in the UK whose vision is entirely rural by shining a light on contemporary rural issues, especially for those between the ages of 16 -25 which explains why this current project is so important and honestly portrayed. The silence and the noise follow the lives of two young teenagers Ben and Daize who are two people from different sides of a county line. The former is a young man who has been manipulated into becoming a drug runner by a mysterious mentor and the latter is the daughter of a drug addict. Their lives cross for obvious reasons but they are both pushed away from the direct dealings leading to them forming an unlikely relationship.
Ben (played by the amazing William Robinson) is a young man who finds himself a part of an almost drug cartel. He has formed a bond with one of the higher-ups in this crime ring (whom we never actually met) but as the story progresses however we are given teases that the relationship between Ben and Beetle is not as two-sided as Ben would like to believe. We see learn that his boss provides Ben with money and buys him presents from time to time but on the other hand pushes him around, makes him do his dirty work and at one point we see Ben in agonising pain with an extreme burn mark from a kettle that was inflicted by his so-called mentor. The sad thing is that, based on professional training I have taken part in within my teacher training, this grooming/manipulative relationship is disgustingly common and the underpinning drug runner storyline often goes hand in hand with this sort of relationship. While it is fantastic that as the story progresses Ben builds the nerve to actually kill his abusive leader during a highly intense and dramatic scene, many people will never be able to escape these relationships which is absolutely heartbreaking! One of the most powerful lines I heard in a very long time happens once Ben has turned on his boss when he says “I know he was shit but I loved him. He made me feel amazing” which is a perfect reflection of how these relationship function in real life.
Daize (played by the amazing Rachelle Diedericks) is a young girl who is experiencing extreme poverty after her mother becomes addicted to drugs which are provided by Ben’s boss and who is only referred to as … This chance meeting allows your two lead characters to spend a large amount of time together as their respective superiors deal/use these drugs. One of the more poignant parts of the show sees Daize trying too hard the fact that she is forced to eat cat food as her family are extremely short on money. This sequence was extremely harrowing as she discusses stealing from a shop, lying to the cashier that her cat (who doesn’t actually exist) is dying, and how the cashier took pity on her and now provides her cat food every time she goes to the shop and how this is the only thing she is able to eat. The media constantly shows how much a drug addiction can affect the person using drugs, but I don’t think we get to see how this can affect other people in their lives. While Daize herself is not addicted to drugs she still has to suffer the consequences of being the child of someone who is, which is where this lack of money emanates from. This character goes through a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the show. We see her being tender and emotional about her mother and the addiction, to being a traditional jovial teenager (which is not an easy contrast to capture but Rachelle appears to do this with ease) while simultaneously forming a relationship with Ben who could be considered an enabler to her/her mother’s issues.
The majority of these scenes take place in a nameless, ordinary forest which could easily by a place around the corner from you or somewhere miles away. I think this has been done to further the point that county lines is something that can easily be happening in your local area which alongside the extremely natural and relatable performers really brings the message of awareness to the forefront. The company behind this project goes one further by allowing the audience to access this play at no cost on YouTube so that it is accessible to absolutely everyone. Obviously, this is a play intended for a more mature audience as there are constant references to drug usage throughout. The opening moments of this show opens with an intense scene of Daize pointing a knife towards Ben and later we see gruesome burn marks which a younger audience may find too frightening. However, I do think that young people (especially in more rural areas) should watch this production so that they can be aware that things like manipulation by adults can happen and there are places to go if you find yourself in a county lines type scheme!
Overall, the silence and the noise is an extremely important piece of theatre that shines a light on a scheme that is all too common even today! It is an hour long but the natural and relatable production value drags you into the centre of their worlds and gets the viewer tangled up in the intricacies of Ben and Daize’s relationship(s). I would rate this production 5 out of 5 stars! If you want to check out the silence and the noise for yourself you can do so for FREE at https://youtu.be/ZrgoQ6Hj4Zg?si=Uvsu_BZeMdSv0GZD
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