Get Carter: Northern Stage, Newcastle

LONDON mob enforcer Jack Carter is on the train heading for his home town of Newcastle to bury his older brother, Frank, who has died in suspicious circumstances. Forget the iconic film Get Carter of Michael Caine fame, this production looks much deeper into Jack’s personality and most definitely does not feature the now demolished car park in Gateshead.

North-East based playwright Torben Betts looks to Ted Lewis’ original novel, Jack’s Return Home, for his highly-original and criminally good adaptation depicting an underworld of uncompromising brutality and teenage pornography.

Leo Warner’s imposing backdrop is a huge grey bridge that spews a mountain of red clay bricks from it’s gaping mouth on to the banks of the muddy river. The soundtrack makes a real ear worm of 1960s themed music that includes an exciting new arrangement of songs by the iconic Tyneside band The Animals.

Betts cracks open Jack’s brutal gangster persona with the expertise of a psychologist, forcing Jack to see himself as he really is. Kevin Wathen is insanely good as Jack with his gritty, well-controlled, hard-boiled confidence. He constantly talks to his deceased brother while probing the criminal underbelly of his hometown in search of answers. Musician Martin Douglas, who also plays a mean set of drums, gives Frank a clever silent presence.

Lorne Campbell’s skilled direction ricochets with violence and seriously strong language. All his characters are fully developed including a superb triple character exposé of beautifully performed old men from Donald McBride and an awesome Victoria Elliott playing Glenda as well as Margaret, Frank’s grieving, drunk girlfriend.

* Recommended 16+ Runs until March 5. Box Office: 0191-230-5151 or northernstage.co.uk

Helen Brown