I'm Spilling My Heart Out Here ****

I'm Spilling My Heart Out Here is a production from the Lincoln Young Company, a part of the National Theatre Connections Festival which commissions new writing for 13-19 year olds. LYC however come across more like professionals than a young company, handling Stacey Gregg's mature text with balanced shades of humour and angst - and not the skull printed, black clad emo school of angst; the believable sort that audiences young and old alike can relate back to.

Being like professionals, and having their performance at the Sheffield Crucible to come, I’ll be more nitpicky than I might usually be in a professional review. Gregg has written an ensemble piece here, most of the roles have an equal amount of stage time, and mostly the cast work together and are extremely self aware, spatially aware, and the relationships between characters evident, developed and above all, natural - but at times, the opening for example, they're thinking as characters, not as a unit. That being said, the blocking for so many in such a small space, and in the round at that, is thoughtfully achieved.

I want to say, Sweep (Sophie Grayson), Linford Butler (Osh) and Oliver Parkes (Ciaran), get it just right; their characters have brilliant comedic timing, but equally isolate their more vulnerable moments, coming across as familiar, well-rounded figures. Vicky Spencer's character is impulsive, obviously a hormone cocktail, but I’d like to see more of the thought process behind some of her actions. Similarly, Wilson’s (Chrissie Ellinas) blunt and upfront delivery is enjoyable but not always entirely natural. Their relationship is particularly interesting to watch, and even more time could be spent on moments when hormones are acting particularly rampant. Lauren Walker delivers her moving monologue well, but she could afford to go even further with it physically and vocally. There are too many hiccoughs in her teariness which interrupt her brilliant speech. And equally, although teenage boys who wouldn't dare show emotion, a little more could be had from the boys.

I personally think it's great to see young people working with such gruesome material, I mean when you're a teenager it really is "awkward when you're internal organs just fall out". The play dough hearts look good, hitting the floor with a splat they have the element of surprise over the audience. Admittedly there could be more blood, and the handling of hearts could be smoother. But the concept of a white stage gradually becoming smothered in colour as hearts spill out, colourful elements of clothing discarded in moments of character vulnerability, is a brilliant one, adding layers of emotion to the performance. If anything, more could be made of the idea, those moments marked more. When you're a teenager your heart's all over the place, and I just want to see more of a mess.  

Like I said, I’m being nitpicky. Usually I'd have just said the cast is impressive and competent although they could all afford to project more, director Martyn Horner-Glister's ideas behind the piece are sophisticated, and ISMHOH could benefit from more of the Tarantino treatment. But altogether LYC's production is funny, moving, accessible, professional - they're bloody good. But I guess the devil's in the detail if you want to get to the National.

I'm Spilling My Heart Out Here is playing at the Sheffield Crucible on the 25 March alongside other participating companies. For further information see: http://www.lincolnyoungcompany.co.uk

Connections Festival performances are taking place all over the UK this Spring. For further information see: http://microsite.nationaltheatre.org.uk/connections