THEATRE REVIEW: Back Down ★★★

Back Down

Birmingham REP Theatre

Tuesday 3rd March

Spoken Word Poet Steven Camden, otherwise known as Polarbear, has now debuted his brand new play Back Down, based on real life events, when Steven and Two of his friends went away to Snowdon Mountain in Wales. Now three other Brummies, Zia, Tommy, and Luke, take that exact same journey, with heightened events.

With Luke leaving for University with his Girlfriend, he and his mates take one last trip to Snowdon on a camping trip before he leaves to start his ‘Next Chapter’. I felt that I could really relate to this story in some sense, with myself having started University just this year, which made me have some sense of relatability because of this subject. I also loved how minimalistic the set was, with a ladder, a grass area on a 45° angle, four boxes, and a few bottles and phones, which were all multi-used for different props in scenes.

What escalates in this coming-of-age production is represented with a calm pace, as we really get to know all these characters represented, and those off stage, like the teachers, fathers, and those at the campsite, including a group of three girls in another tent. I really enjoyed how all of these characters were portrayed, with a sense of comedic style to them, as they were relatable, and everyone in the audience would probably have a sense of familiarity with the characters.

Overall, Back Down was a real Coming-of-Age powerful play that really made you value your family, friends, and all those closest around you, and makes you remember that no matter how hard your problems may seem, they are always the ones that you can rely on to lift your spirits, or help you through your troubles.