Commissioned and first produced by Farnham Maltings, March 2024
A new play about growing up, coming home and making noise.
The Band Back Together arrives in London after a spring tour of England and Wales. Barney Norris (Visitors, Eventide, We Started To Sing) returns to the Arcola with a raucous and tender new story full of music.
Joe, Ross and Ellie used to be in a band. They were pretty good too, making waves across a rugged patchwork of pubs and clubs. But time has thrown the three friends far from their younger selves. Back together for one night only to play a benefit gig in their home town of Salisbury, they find a community reeling from an infamous poisoning and a pandemic. And as they rehearse the old songs together, their stories and secrets must also be excavated.
★★★★★ “In Barney Norris’ latest play, he manages to reflect this intangible feeling with such emotional clarity. A script full of heart and three touching performances, it is a top-quality piece of theatre that will stay with you long after you leave the theatre. ” – All That Dazzles
★★★★★ “Evelyn’s voice is crisp, clear and full of emotion, finding joy and darkness at every tempo. ” – The Reviews Hub
★★★★ “This compact production, with three vital performances at its heart, will strike a chord with anyone who left themselves behind in order to grow up.” – The Spy In the Stalls
★★★★ “Norris explores issues of regret, nostalgia and the lasting harm that people cause to each other, in a truthful piece that makes good use of music. ” – West End Best Friend
★★★ “We fall for each of the band mates, as we would for our own childhood friends. At some point it feels like we stop watching a play and start watching a concert – and in those moments, the room does feel like magic. ” – Time Out
★★★ “It is full of verve and zingy lines. Norris, who also directs, nails the witty repartee and awkward exchanges, with a lovely, lively, observational quality to the script. There is a well-crafted naturalism and a certain romance to the reunion.” – The Guardian
★★★ “A delicately drawn drama about lifelong regret. Heartfelt and relatable.” – The Stage
“I urge you to see The Band Back Together for Barney Norris’s brilliant dialogue and what happened to the teenagers to impact on what is possible now. It is empowering to trace back decisions made in one’s youth. The performances and direction will keep your mind whirring with these three band members long into the night.” – Theatre Vibe
“The soft tones of the band replay in our heads like a soundtrack, reminding us of our own back story, glowing radioactively like halcyon days have a habit of doing.” – Hackney Citizen
