I Caught Crabs..., British Theatre Guide

In a couple of efforts at Traverse, Joel Horwood has shown himself to be a great talent and this coming of age comedy confirms the impression. He is a chronicler of ordinary lives in Constable Country, this time a town that sees Lowestoft as the height of sophistication and exciting night life.

The story focuses on a trio of teenagers during their GCSEs and each is a well-rounded, sympathetically drawn individual.

Aaron Foy as Fitz and Harry Hepple playing Wheeler are best mates with different outlooks. The former has great common sense and needs it. He lives with a father who three years on is still almost catatonic following the loss of his wife and requires the support of his young son to hold on to sanity.

Wheeler enjoys the luxuries of a stable family with money. He has university aspirations and a good brain but the ability to bypass it after a couple of drinks.

They enter into a wild, picaresque journey after meeting a gorgeous nymphet called Dani(ella) (Gemma Soul). Spoilt does not adequately describe this young, blonde heiress whose mother makes up for a broken home with every luxury and great tolerance.

Dani persuades the boys that a night on the town would be more fun than Biology revision and then winds them around her little finger with consequences that could blight their lives forever.

All three of the younger actors play their parts perfectly, seemingly recreating their own experiences - at least to an extent- while Andrew Barron and Rosie Thomson as all of the parents prove to be character actors with a sense of both drama and humour.

Philip Fisher