This ambitious and heartfelt piece from physical theatre group Justice In Motion sets itself a high bar. It aims to tell a coherent story, make us feel for its characters, raise awareness of terrifying crimes and their complex root causes, and channel all this through a range of performance disciplines, from hip-hop dance to rap to parkour and bike tricks. If it doesn’t quite pull off all of this flawlessly, then its sheer energy and integrity make up for that. 

The action takes place around Celia Perkins’ phenomenal split-level set, made up of concrete and graffiti, scaffolding and estate front doors. The cast loop and fling themselves through this to thrilling effect, fluidly shifting scenes from skatepark to nightclub and school. Bullied schoolkid Nicky (Sylvia Mae Gray) is living in poverty with a single mum, when one day at the park she falls prey to a drug dealer who grooms her to smuggle and sell across county lines. As Nicky’s involvement with the drug gang deepens, the violence escalates.

The script is extremely on-the-nose in tackling its subject, spelling out each story beat, however the verve of Marcus ‘Matic Mouth’ Smith’s rap narration, the heart-pounding parkour and incredible bike skills provide a pulse that drives the action. Statistics that the company offer at the end are sobering: 46,000 kids were involved in county lines drug dealing last year. Multi-age productions like this give young people an opportunity to perform these stories rather than becoming one of them. 

Code, Pleasance Grassmarket, until 27 August, times vary; picture: Isha Photography. 

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