Tusk Tusk

by Polly Stenham

Come on troops. Let's take Finn Bar, slightly ruffled but still in fighting form. Maggie, could do with a full nights sleep but otherwise all in order ...Stay here. Don't answer the door. I'll go out and get some proper food. In a new flat, three children play hide and seek. Eliot wears a crown, little Finn, King of the Wild Thing's, draws on the walls. Maggie climbs them. Hiding from the world, needing to be found, their one shared focus a mobile phone. Will it ring? Who will call? And what are they waiting for? Tusk Tusk is a tale of family loyalty as an uncertain future circles. Polly Stenham's second play premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in March 2009.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Theatre, Adolescence

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2009

Reviews

[Emily B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern and entertaining. I would see this on stage if the opportunity arose

[F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this. Stenham is really good at depicting self-destruction as emotional and real as it is. Yet it is always family that both tears these characters apart and holds them together. I'm so impressed.

[Janika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this after Stenham's That Face and it seems she has used the same core for two alternative stories. I must admit, the flow of the dialogue is actually quite enjoyable, but as I kept experiencing déjà vu the whole time, I got bored and annoyed.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if having read No Quarter and That Face before the middle play in Stenham's thematic trilogy left me with very high expectations but whilst I still loved Stenham's dialogue it felt less well rounded. That Face balanced comedy alongside the harrowing plot well and No Quarter allowed us to be fond of the deeply flawed individuals we saw on stage with a truly cathartic ending; whereas Tusk Tusk seemed to fall between the two, much like the middle child it is, not certain in it's identity.

Where previously I have adored how Stenham ends plays, not satiating the desire for either disaster or happy ending when I finished Tusk Tusk more than anything I felt defeated as if all the emotional investment I had within these characters was for nothing. The attempted twist at the end is a clear preliminary test to what she executed so brilliantly in No Quarter, part of me wonders how my perception of the trilogy would change if I had read them in order, or close to one another, as if visiting the theatre for three weeks.

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A challenging topic, which is an eye opener. There was a nice flow to the story, interesting to see how the characters ‘roles’ were altered to get through the situation and the struggles they faced. A touching piece.

[Georgia_May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great flow of dialogue and story. It’s very disturbingly true about some circumstances of abuse. Funny and developing character arcs and dynamics with the young people.
Would definitely love to see live or direct!

[Bryn Swain · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lots of strong language. Distressing and horrifying situation.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This play is fucking terrifying.

[Sarah Kosar · Rating 4 out of 5]

All about young writing. Love the use of children in a theatrical setting. This is a really great piece about youth and maturity.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

An oddity, in the style of "Look Back In Anger" -- and in the image of it.

[Becky Raines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging and challenging and well written, but disturbing and I'm not sure why she chose to tell this story.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really struggled with this play. I find the dialogue awkward and a bit stilted, unnatural. As a result, I struggled to connect with the characters and found myself hating everyone except Finn. Not bad, but hard to get through.