Mojo, Red Herring Theatre Co and ACT Hub, ACT Hub, 22 Jan-1 Feb

Jez Butterworth's 1995 play "Mojo" premiered in an era full of what was described later as "in-yer-face-theatre" - shocking, provocative and confrontational - with sex, violence and drug use to the fore. Led by writers like Sarah Kane, Mark Ravenhill and the early works of Martin McDonagh - a virtual new Jacobean era where blood and shock flowed freely. Butterworth has since moved on to more mainstream writing - his recent "Jerusalem', "The Ferryman" and "The Hills of California" have all played both the West End and Broadway - but this is an early work, set during the british 1950s clubland where the Kray twins ruled and the music industry was full of standover men like the notorious Don Arden. Six men all powered by amphetamines are working to keep teen idol Silver Johnny on hand to promote and exploit, but outside forces are working against them along with their own internal tensions. 

Lachlan Houen directs a tight production - taking us into the grotty backrooms where the deals get made and the dirtywork takes place. We start with the double-act of Sweets and Potts, two low-on-the-pecking order types listening in to the deals being done in the other room - Jack Ferrier as the slightly more pompous of the pair and Joel Hrbek as the endearingly servile one, desperate to please. Taj De Montis as the enabler Skinny shows an independant, desparate streak as he negotiates his way around this world, while Lachlan Herring as the entitled son of the club owner, Baby, is unpredictable dyanmite, expected to go off in your face any second. Taylor Barret as the senior Mickey has a strong sense of authority that the rest of the cast push back against repeatedly and gives them room to manouvre, and Joshua James as Silver Johnny makes an impact with very few lines - you get by his bearing and the way he talks that this is a man who draws attention when he hits the stage and, even backstage in repose, you can see the charisma that the other characters describe. 

Theatre in January in buildings that are not necessarily blessed with the best air conditioning can be a challenge to take, but this is certainly worth the challenge - rough, tense and compelling.