The Silence & The Noise – Pentabus
A play-turned-film, The Silence & the Noise masters this new medium with ease, creating a work which tells difficult truths without ever veering into sentimentality or excess.
The Silence & The Noise
Today is a first for the Salterton Arts Review. A first film review. Luckily, The Silence & the Noise is a gentle introduction, as a story which started out on the stage before being translated to the cinematic medium. Both are brought to us by Pentabus, a long-standing theatre company based in Shropshire which focuses on world class productions of rural stories.
The Silence & the Noise started out as a Papatango Prize-winning play in 2021. With a few changes, it has become an hour-long film. After a first screening at this year’s VAULT Festival, it started on the film festival circuit. And is also currently available to view for free online. At the time of writing, The Silence & the Noise has already been selected for the Broadstairs International Film Festival, the World Film Awards 2023, and Canterbury Film Festival International, and won Best Film and Best Actor accolades. Almost 2,000 people watched the film online during its first period of public availability. Not a bad start!
But what’s it all about? Well, The Silence & the Noise is the story of Daize (Rachelle Diedericks) and Ben (William Robinson). Both are caught up in county lines drug running. Daize’s mum Lil is customer and more to Beetle, who uses Ben to transport and push his product. They meet when Daize holds Ben at knife-point, desperate to protect the fragile progress her mother has made. Throughout the hour of the film we see them develop a fragile relationship, seeing in each other the same vulnerability and uncertainty about what the future holds.
From Stage To Screen
The Silence & the Noise is far from being the first play to make the transition from stage to screen. But what is interesting here is the way the framing of this story translates between the two mediums.
Firstly you can feel the stage origins, particularly in the extreme limitation of the film’s locations. All of the scenes take place in one or two spots outside Daize’s house, with the camera often sticking almost claustrophobically close. The impetus to keep to limited locations onstage is clear. But keeping true to this on film has a different psychological impact. Daize states after one particularly traumatic event that she can’t see what’s ahead, “can’t see one second into the future.” I doubt really that she ever could. Or Ben for that matter, once he saw past the promises of fast cars and wads of cash. The camera portrays just how small their worlds have become, limited only to what is right in front of them.
There’s also a power to what is unseen, onscreen as onstage. As Daize and Ben’s friendship and relationship grows, the situation created by the adults in their lives becomes more dangerous. It finally comes to a head in a way that is shocking. Committing this story to film allows, in theory, the ability to bring more characters in, to visualise what was only alluded to previously. But not showing these scenes allows you to imagine them for yourself. Sometimes less is indeed more.
And finally on this particular train of thought, filming The Silence & the Noise allows for a perfect juxtaposition of story and setting. The reason we spend so much time outside with Daize and Ben is that Daize is keeping away from Beetle and the worst of her mum’s addiction, sleeping on an old couch and eating cat food for reasons which become apparent. The events take place in early summer, and the photography (Luke Collins) and sound design (Justin Dolby) is beautiful. The contrast between the glimpses of countryside full of life and hope, and the futures facing these two young people, makes the story all the more crushing.
A Fragile Love Story
Looking at the film in more detail, now, it is a thing of beauty. As difficult as this story is, Powell’s script is never overwrought or overblown. And the direction by Rachel Lambert and Elle While allows the actors plenty of space. Diedericks shines in the quiet moments, her vulnerability breaking through her increasingly shattered protective shell. And Robinson, whose recent role as Mark Anthony for the RSC seems an almost unthinkable contrast, is excellent in the scenes where Ben drops his bravado as he realises just how much trouble he is in. It would be powerful on stage, no doubt. But again the extra psychological impact of feeling so close to these raw emotions is affecting.
Daize and Ben’s story isn’t your usual love story. A neglected teenage girl and the boy pushing the drugs that fuel that neglect don’t spring to mind when you think of budding romances. But the two see something in each other that draws them together. And can also be honest with each other at a time when everyone else is carefully shut out. Although – or perhaps because – the flirting and growing connection between them isn’t sexual, it’s beautiful. Fragile, but beautiful.
This sensitively told and acted story may be fiction, but it reflects some of the real life situations faced by the thousands of young people caught up in county lines gangs. I urge you all to make the most of Pentabus sharing The Silence & the Noise for free, currently until March 2024. And it’s worth keeping an eye on what comes next for Diedericks, Robinson, Powell, and the rest of the creative team as well. There is some serious talent here that I can see going far.
Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 4/5
The Silence & the Noise available to stream for free until March 2024.