The Silence and the Noise – Virtual

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

Writer: Tom Powell

Director: Rachel Lambert and Elle While

“Intense & Impactful”

4 / 5

The Silence and the Noise is a hybrid film/play that focuses on two teenagers on either side of a county line. Ben is a drug runner, working with the hope of one day being as rich and successful as his boss Beetle, idolising the lifestyle and the possibilities his future could have. Daize hates that her mum is an addict, spending as much time outside and away from the situation as possible, resorting to extreme measures such as eating cat food due to the neglect created by the addiction. Ben and Daize slowly form an unlikely friendship from their interactions during the drug drop offs – as their worlds become more intertwined and complicated.

This is an impactful storyline that, although fictional, sadly reflects a truth for many young adults. But, although on the surface the narrative is cold and unyielding, the characters and their conversations create a warmth that automatically engages, sympathising with both of their situations and rooting for their escape from the lifestyle. William Robinson (Ben) and Rachelle Diedericks (Daize) are both fantastic performers, carrying the heavy storyline and delivering the fast-paced, intense dialogue with ease. Both actors showcase stripped back emotions and fragility within their roles, and help to fully bring the storyline to life.

The transformation of both of Tom Powell’s characters is well shown as the production progresses. Daize begins her character arc stern and unforgiving – first shown wielding a knife at Ben, protecting her space with her walls completely up. Ben on the other hand, is clearly new to his role as a drug runner – naïve and nervous he unexpectedly doesn’t hold the power in the first few few scenes – creating an interesting dynamic between the pair. Each scene shows a small shift in time, as well as a small shift in both their power balance and their blossoming friendship. Ben & Daize’s mums and Beetle, although never shown help to create context – the small throwaway comments helping to understand the pair even further, with the well-written script adding depth with each line.

This originally gained success as a play, before being modified into (an also successful) film with a singular location. The focus on the one area helps to extract the intimacy from the characters and focus on the weight of the strong dialogue. Pentabus and Rural Media wanted to ensure that the recording of the production is widely accessible to anyone, anywhere free of charge – at only an hour long, it’s well worth the watch and helps to champion the great local talent involved in this production both on and off the screen. Check it out here: Watch The Silence and the Noise

Currently available to watch online for free until March 2024