Brighton Rock – Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington

Adapted By: Bryony Lavery from the book by Graham Greene
Director: Phillip Ley

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Atmospheric“

3.5 / 5

Brighton Rock by Graham Greene is brought to life on stage with an impressively large cast and atmospheric staging, successfully capturing the old-school gangster vibe and the murky moral underbelly of its characters.

Pinkie (Joe Davidson) might only be a teenager, but he’s formidable in Brighton. He successfully leads his unscrupulous gang into all sorts of schemes and revenge plots, with his current obsession being avenging the death of his former boss. Plans scuppered at almost every opportunity – be it Ida’s (As Richards) quest for the truth or Rose’s (Evie Depledge) photographic memroy, he’s fighting an uphill battle, desperate to stay on top in the crooked criminal underworld he’s part of.

Running at 2 hours long, Bryony Lavery’s adaptation has more than enough time to flesh out the busy storyline and vast array of characters. Initially, it’s a slightly muddled, almost rushed start, with a bit too much going on all at once – especially if you’re not familiar with the original, but it quickly settles into its stride, extracting the tension from every scene and successfully staging the small-town gangster murder mystery. Kaushal Ginige’s sound and Juliet Webster’s lighting brilliantly contribute to the enjoyably atmospheric production, with Phillip Ley’s direction ensuring that the pacing is balanced well, and the narrative remains engaging throughout each half.

With a cast of eleven, the production is constantly moving – be it actors playing multiple roles, or the set quickly transforming into a variety of different locations, ensuring audience attention is hooked the whole time. Davidson plays a fantastic small-time gangster, his distain towards Rose and his evil inner monologues very well executed. Depledge counterbalances his nastiness well, her endearingly dopey innocence as she’s wrapped up in his world and manipulated wonderfully portrayed. Their chemistry is integral to the storyline, so it’s a relief that it’s showcased as well as it is. As Richards is equally as fantastic as Ida – her insistence in finding out what’s going on is done with a believable approach, and her fling with Phil (Richard Ings) provides many moments of unexpected, but welcome comedic relief.

Runs until 21st February 2026