In Steel, writer Lee Mattinson returns to his hometown, with a coming-of-age tale set in the hollowed-out town of Workington – once rich in coal and iron ore, now marked by economic stagnation and aimlessness. Directed by Liz Stevenson and performed at Park Theatre, the play follows two 17-year-old boys, James (Jordan Tweddle) and Kamran (Suraj Shah), as they ricochet through their hometown on a treasure hunt. The reason for the hunt? James has discovered he’s heir to a single mile of the British railway system – but there’s a ticking clock, projected onto the theatre wall. Will they claim the money in time?
There was a restless energy to the production, fitting for its teenage protagonists. Tweddle’s James was front and centre, while Shah morphed fluidly into a range of supporting characters: James’ emotionally repressed father, a drunken aunt, a drag queen – each delivered with conviction and a touch of flamboyance. Shah’s comic timing and physical dexterity provided contrast to Tweddle’s quieter, more internal performance. Tweddle, a magnetic performer, gave James a vulnerability through stillness and small physical gestures – plus he was a very good crier.
Staged in traverse, the production made full use of the space. Movement director Kieran Sheehan kept the boys active – they leaped, stomped and spun with the erratic charm of adolescence. Sometimes this physicality tipped into something a little too stylised, a little too camp. But it was a risk that mostly paid off.
Simon Kenny’s set design was minimal but effective: a metallic skeletal structure loomed in the background, while the floor was illustrated with monochrome sketches of the town’s streets. A scribbled bench (which could have done without the scribbles) became a recurring prop as the boys navigated everything from train stations to gay clubs. Mark Melville’s sound design and Jessie Addinall’s lighting elevated the production, shifting the mood from realism to something more dreamlike.
Mattinson filled the play with the local dialect and the cultural nuance of northern working-class life. His script is affectionate and ambitious, though not without flaws. There’s a tendency toward over-exposition, with characters often explaining more than they show. This stems from the play’s storytelling framework – Shah repeatedly asking Tweddle to fill him in on his adventures and backstory – leaving the two actors to conjure an entire world between them. The effect wasn’t unpleasant, but it did make the play feel at times a little slow.
Read: Theatre review: The Croft, The Rep, Birmingham
Beneath its buddy-adventure surface, Steel carried multiple political undertones that gave the story depth – from homophobia to racism and class. But what ultimately defined the play was its unwavering sincerity.
Steel by Lee Mattinson
Park Theatre
Director: Liz Stevenson
Designer: Simon Kenny
Composer and Sound Designer: Mark Melville
Lighting Designer: Jessie Addinall
Movement Director: Kieran Sheehan
Associate Director: Mark Macey
Community Choir Music Director: Colin Brind
Scenic Floor Illustrator: Emily Ford
Company Stage Manager: Sarah Goodyear
Touring Technician: Lawrence Carter
Costumer Supervisor: Gemma Reeve
Cast: Suraj Shah, Jordan Tweddle
Steel was performed from 11-14 June 2025 at Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London.
