An electrifying drama about what happens to personal identity in an age of ubiquitous technology and social media.
John is a twenty-seven-year-old teacher ‘who probably wasn’t allowed to teach at an all-girls’ school’ and Mark is his sixteen-year-old ‘Olympic porn-watching’ pupil. A normal week in their normal lives – school, eat, TV, sleep, repeat.
Except in an age of twisted technology and unfettered profiles, the life Mark really wants is only a click away… but what happens when that life already belongs to John? By Friday, the shit really is going to hit the fan.
Two interlinking monologues, WINK examines two lives veering dangerously close to collision, asking us what separates the man from the boy.
WINK, Phoebe Eclair-Powell's debut play, was first produced by Tara Finney Productions and Theatre503, and premiered at Theatre503, London, in March 2015.
'savvy, timely and often piercingly funny... [a] razor-sharp debut play'
— Evening Standard
'whip-smart, chokingly funny and thoroughly entertaining... an eye-catching debut'
— Guardian
'a harshly funny story of modern-day loneliness and male alienation... an arresting new play'
— Time Out
'both humorous and disturbing... [the writing is] assured, well observed and emotionally convincing... a really exciting debut play'
— The Stage
'note-perfect... skewers our obsession with social media'
— Londonist
'superb... the dialogue is punchy and humorous... one of the best works that has come out of Theatre503'
— A Younger Theatre
About the Author :
Phoebe Eclair-Powell is a writer from South East London.
Her plays include: Shed: Exploded View (Royal Exchange, Manchester, 2024); Dorian, adapted with Owen Horsley from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray (Reading Rep Theatre, 2021); Harm (Bush Theatre, 2021); Epic Love and Pop Songs (Pleasance, Edinburgh, 2016); Fury (Soho Theatre, 2016); WINK (Theatre503, 2015); One Under (Pleasance Below); Mrs Spine (OUTLINES at the Old Red Lion); Bangin' Wolves (Courting Drama at the Bush Upstairs, published by Playdead Press, later with Poleroid Theatre for Wilderness Festival); two rapid write response pieces, Coal Eaters and Glass Hands (Theatre503); The Box (Theatre Delicatessen SPACED festival and Latitude Festival); Elephant and My Castle (SALT Theatre at Southwark Playhouse); CARE (Miniaturists at the Arcola).
She was the overall winner of the 2019 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, for her play Shed: Exploded View. Fury was a finalist for the 2015 Verity Bargate Award, and the winner of the Soho Theatre Young Writers' Award.
Review :
'Savvy, timely and often piercingly funny... [a] razor-sharp debut play'
'Whip-smart, chokingly funny and thoroughly entertaining... an eye-catching debut'
'A harshly funny story of modern-day loneliness and male alienation... an arresting new play'
'Both humorous and disturbing... [the writing is] assured, well observed and emotionally convincing... a really exciting debut play'
'Note-perfect... skewers our obsession with social media'
'Superb... the dialogue is punchy and humorous... one of the best works that has come out of Theatre503'
