Review: Flock, Soho Theatre

A bare set save three boxes and an abandoned shopping trolley greet the audience as they settle. Background music is barely audible over the chatter, but a piano can be heard, slow and deliberate, one beat at time, before lyrics interrupt our thoughts to chant “looking for home”. The quiet reverie is instantly destroyed by the sound of police banging on a door repeatedly. The ‘when’ and the ‘where’ is unclear but the shock tactic has worked and attention is immediately forced back into the room.

Written by Lin Coghlan, Flock follows the story of two siblings: Cel and Robbie, both in their late teens. They’re hardly young children anymore, but certainly still too young to navigate life on their own. Forced into the care system through the death of a grandparent, they were separated and have moved through a variety of temporary homes, each taking its toll on their mental health. The eldest, Cel, is the mother figure to her brother, Robbie, ceaselessly selfless and realistically vulnerable as she seeks validation and support through inappropriate relationships. A bright teenager, she manages several jobs simultaneously and achieves good A level grades at night school resulting in a university offer. She has always looked out for Robbie, even in her early teens when their mother was unable to. Robbie, well, I suspect Robbie has learning difficulties. He struggles with his care worker, who, despite his difficult behaviour, born of loneliness and fear, is a constant support. He is frustrating: refusing to help himself, he lashes out at anyone who tries to help, inevitably and irrevocably damaged by his experiences. 

This is a devastatingly emotional piece. I could hardly breathe towards the end and someone to my right was audibly sobbing. The clarity of the script and the strength of the acting from the two siblings focuses attention on their mutual love. Despite all the hurdles in their way, they strive to be together, bending rules with a constant mantra of “don’t tell, we can’t trust no one”. Humour and resilience shine through as does their reliance on memories of happier family times, shared jokes and places. 

The strength of Flock lies in its extraordinary writing. Nuanced and taut, it unflinchingly revels the devastating effect on the well-being and prospects of young people in the care system, particularly for separated siblings. Occasionally a well-chosen word, such as slag, shocks the audience who distinctly gasp. The minimal staging concentrates attention on the people themselves and the use of just four characters serves to empathise the isolation the siblings feel. All four actors are accomplished but Gabriella Leonardi as Cel steals the show: simultaneously confident and vulnerable she is desolately fragile.

A clever use of temperature control at a key moment in the plot provides a particularly immersive experience. I can’t talk about the ending for fear of spoiling, but I will say it is genuinely shocking.  Writer Coghlan spent significant time engaging with young adults who have spent time in the care system in order to research for this project.  Her care and attention in striving to offer an accurate and truthful account of their experiences shows. The result is poignant and sensitive.

Written by: Lin Coghlan
Directed by: Jim Pope

Flock plays at Soho Theatre until 2 November. Further information and tickets available here.