Punk Rock? at Syracuse Stage

Propelled by an anxious momentum, Punk Rock is an honest and unnerving chronicle of contemporary adolescence at the breaking point. In a private school outside of Manchester, England, a group of highly articulate 17-year-olds flirt and posture their way through the day while preparing for their A-Level mock exams. With hormones raging and minimal adult supervision, nothing can forestall the underlying tension that becomes increasingly pronounced as the play moves from comic beginnings to a serious and troubling conclusion. Playwright Simon Stephens’ (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) ear for teen conversations, shifting alliances, and fundamental fears is spot-on. Gripping, insightful, and excitingly theatrical.