Launch certainly has a large billing to live up to: it’s 2030, and Britain’s last surviving nuclear submarine has just hours to make a decision about whether to launch its nuclear weapons. The script is both a thrilling and interesting proposition and penned with a fine eye for detail and background, which is supported by two large assets. The first is the considerable attention to detail which has gone into the set, from a set of highly detailed control panels, to schematics of the submarine design hanging from the wall: there is not a technical detail which has not been foreseen and budgeted for. One moment was particularly – and bizarrely, given its context – enjoyable: a paper readout detailing the submarine’s final instructions was sent to the control panel, and a small machine on stage spat it out. Sound and lighting matched each new twist in the fate of the submarine perfectly.

Of course, at the end of the day, all manner of production is rendered obsolete if the actors cannot generate convincing performances and bring the stage around them to life. Fortunately, Launch’s second great asset is its cast, who put in strong performances across the board, ensuring the technically laden script sang in their hands. The tone and dynamic of the play was very well put together, a fact for which the writer and director, Marcus Martin, alone should be commended for, but which the actors also very skilfully helped to assemble.  The pace was continually shifting; wisecracking and dark humour at the play’s beginning concealed the darkly ominous nature of the crew’s position, which became more and more apparent through each new development in the plot. The script was stuffed full of different moments which ranged from black comedy through to psychological thrills.  Sometimes there were jokes, sometimes urgent and rapid command sequences were barked, and sometimes you could almost hear a pin drop, but each new turn kept the audience riveted. However, unlike the submarine the cast were on, there was no drift as we progressively spiralled deeper and darker down into questions over loyalty, country and conscience, with the ultimate question always being: will they launch?

The only slight misfire was the sporadic violent episodes in the script, which would have benefitted from slightly tighter choreography. Overall, though, this production offers a fine example of a cast and crew who really complement each other. The strong acting and direction made us feel like the time put into everything surrounding the production was not wasted, and combined to produce the impression of a production which was really cared for. It was a pleasure to be able to pick out core contributions from each aspect of the production’s team. A very strong start to the Corpus Playroom’s roster of productions this term, and enjoyable to see such a strong piece of student writing.

'Launch' is playing at the Corpus Playroom until Saturday 10th October, 7pm.