The raw material must have seemed as daunting as adolescence itself. Blythe’s project initially lacked an obvious focal event. But, as it turned out, Covid-19 gave the participants a shared shell-shock, one that dominates the final act, and brings home how disruptive and mentally fraying the pandemic has been for the exam-sitters of recent years.

However, even in the sections without a binding thread, the piece – at its more diffuse, reiterative and scattershot – still fascinates, depicting self-sufficiency hatching from childhood’s cocoon, amid the trials of school, the pressures of social media, and pushy – and sometimes downright unpleasant – parenting.  

There’s always the fear of Blythe editorialising the vulnerable for our entertainment and easy judgement. At first, that’s a worry, as the ensemble confidingly babble their thoughts. But as each personality becomes more distinct, along with their differing social circumstances, some tough, our appreciation emerges in sync with their own dawning self-awareness.

It’s hard to do justice to them all, but Blythe was clearly blessed in chancing on a charismatic British Kosovan lad called Luan (Helder Fernandes), a slouch at school who dreams of basketball success, and responds to parental nagging at his poor mock GCSE results with the immortal words: “It’s not that deep.”

Among the other gems are every word spoken by Cambridgeshire private school-boy Lucas (a spot-on, likely stellar Joe Bolland), giggling into relationships with the opposite sex but more fragile than he appears. The line of the night belongs to Welsh bad-girl Mia (Sarita Gabony), who quips: “My nails are longer than my future.” Given how precarious existence currently seems, there’s a chill to that sentiment. Here’s to much brighter days for generation Snapchat, putting a brave face on things by the look of it, and deserving applause.

At the NT April 9. Tickets: 020 3989 5455; nationaltheatre.org.uk. Then at Chichester Festival Theatre (01243 781312), April 22-May 14; cft.org.uk