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Love’s A Beach – Drayton Arms Theatre

🎭 Love’s A Beach
📍 Drayton Arms Theatre
🎫 PR invite
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Katie Sayer and Will Johnston’s hilarious comedy play unveils the life of influencers and the impact of wanting to be social media famous!

The story

Ben and Cyrus (played by Iain Ferrier and James Akka) are runners-up in a popular reality TV dating show. Months after leaving the villa, the couple finds themselves drained by the sponsored content they participate in, trying to increase their social following. Promoting lawnmowers and adult ‘Happy Nappies’ was not on their bucket lists! While Ben seems content with returning to his old life and using his platform to raise awareness of the environment, Cyrus wants to do whatever it takes to alleviate his fame and reach his dream of having 1 million Instagram followers. 

Cyrus and Ben receive a luxurious million-pound influencing deal in Dubai to promote a new hotel chain. Ben is hesitant and reminds Cyrus of the UAE laws when it comes to being LGBTQ+ and the dangers they face. However, Cyrus doesn’t think of morals, focussing only on money and his follower count. 

My thoughts

Akka and Ferrier displayed the most hilarious comedic timing that had the audience laughing out loud right from the start. The actors’ palpable chemistry created an authentic performance. Akka brilliantly plays Cyrus, the self-centred, social media fanatic. Ferrier’s Ben is patient, practical and tries to bring his boyfriend back down to earth. The writing is witty, fast-paced and packed with several jokes and references that were delivered perfectly by the cast. 

I appreciated the writing having a balance of comedy and seriousness, especially as we saw a glimpse of vulnerability from Cyrus. The topic of gay rights in UAE is brought up when we learn of the couple’s invitation to Dubai. I was expecting just a bit more on this, considering Cyrus’ decision to stay in the country.

While the script pokes fun at influencer marketing (Ben attending an 8 am opening of ‘Pets At Home’ had me creasing!), ‘Love’s A Beach’ also highlights the incessant media reporting and pressures of being in the spotlight. In a series of sound bites, we hear a chorus of tabloid headlines and talk panels, discussing influencers, consumerism, and fake gossip about Cyrus’ haemorrhoids!

Even with a minimal set design and the occasional props, Phoebe Barrett’s direction keeps us fully engaged, with the actors utilising the entire stage. I enjoyed watching the duo reenact their text messages; Akka particularly caught my attention with their humorous facial expressions.

With slick direction, a satirical script and brilliant acting from the cast, ‘Love’s A Beach’ is a great piece of comedy theatre, that is incredibly relevant to our current digital climate. I’d love to see where this show goes next!

‘Love’s A Beach‘ is playing at Drayton Arms Theatre until 29 April 2023. You can buy tickets here!

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Wish You Were Dead – Richmond Theatre

🎭 Wish You Were Dead
📍 Richmond Theatre
🎫 PR invite
⭐⭐⭐

Peter James’ best-selling novel, ‘Wish You Were Dead’ returns to the stage with a thrilling production and star-studded cast.

The story

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and his wife, Cleo (George Rainsford and Giovanna Fletcher), head to France with their newborn son, for their first holiday together. Cleo hopes the holiday will finally be a chance for her and Roy to spend quality time, without the interruption of his demanding, crime-solving job. They are joined by Kaitlynn (Gemma Stroyan), the fiancee of Roy’s colleague Jack, who agrees to babysit Noah. 

As they arrive at their French chateau, which resembles more of a haunted house, the guests notice a strange atmosphere and suspicions arise. From flickering lights to no mobile signal to a knight in shining armour (yes, really). The sarcastic host, Madam L’Eveque (Rebecca McKinnis) appears to greet the guests, but her demeanour sparks even more doubt about their stay.

DS Roy and Cleo’s dream holiday quickly turns into a nightmare, as a dark past comes back to haunt them.

My thoughts

My first impressions were of Matthew Holt’s intricately designed set, which featured a split-level stage of the living room and bedroom. I loved the clever use of gauze that revealed the secret room, adding to the mystery. The stuffed animal heads and an obnoxiously large painting of The Crucifixion added to the haunting atmosphere and led up to what the show was going to entail.

The sinister music throughout the play certainly added to the suspense, as did the bursts of thunder and lightning however, these were played too loud and were not always necessary. 

Although it was revealed quickly, the twist was good. It made an appropriate ending to the first act, however, I couldn’t help but feel it veered into a farce – the audience’s laughter didn’t help either. Once we discovered the villains’ motivations, the second act featured several witty back-and-forth dialogues between the characters. Despite the brandishing of weapons, there was still a lack of tension and just an overall threat to the guests.

Clive Mantle’s villainous role as Curtis provided humour, with some comical lines/delivery. Whether this was intentional, I enjoyed their portrayal as the bitter, grief-stricken father, seeking revenge. Rainsford and Fletcher are convincing as a couple, and I enjoyed Rainsford’s strong performance as the determined detective. They had me fully engaged, particularly during those final scenes. 

While ‘Wish You Were Dead’ did feature a predictable plot, I still enjoyed this crime-thriller and can see why Peter James’ stage adaptions have been a success!

‘Wish You Were Dead’ is playing at Richmond Theatre until Saturday 22 April 2023.

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Family Tree – Brixton House Theatre

🎭 Family Tree
📍 Brixton House Theatre
🎫 Gifted
⭐⭐⭐

Mojisola Adebayo’s play, ‘Family Tree’, brings to light a dark history of the scientific world. 

Directed by Matthew Xia, the powerful drama is told through a blend of spoken word, interpretive dance and harrowing historical truths about race, health, the environment and the forgotten legacy of Henrietta Lacks – a Black woman whose influence on modern-day medicine is extraordinary. 

The story

The story is inspired by Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman who died in 1950s Maryland from cervical cancer. Before she passed, doctors took samples from Lacks’ biopsy during the treatment, sharing them with researchers who discovered her cells had the capacity to survive and reproduce. This created the HeLa cell line, which was (and still is) involved in medical research in cancer, immunisations, HIV and most recently, vaccines against COVID-19. Despite saving thousands of lives, Henrietta did not have any knowledge or consent over the actions, nor did her family years after her death. 

‘Family Tree’ is a thought-provoking play that unpacks the injustices Black women faced in medical care over the years. Adebayo’s intertwines historical stories of enslaved women in America, subject to cruel experiments by white medical staff. We also see a trio of Black women play present-day NHS nurses, passionately discussing racism in healthcare, among professionals and patients, ‘WHY’ people and the Black Lives Matter movement.

My thoughts

Aminata Francis plays Henrietta Lacks, opening the show with a powerful, rhythmic monologue as an immortalised being. Francis’ presence is captivating; I admired their strong storytelling as they glided barefoot across the stage, delivering Adebayo’s poetic script with deep emotion. 

Photo by Helen Murray

 Mofetoluwa Akande, Keziah Joseph, and Aimée Powell play the trio of women, and were strong in their individual roles, seamlessly transitioning between the contrasting characters. I also loved how they tended to one another’s hair during their scenes as NHS nurses. Throughout the show, a smoking cowboy (Alistar Hall) sinisterly walks across Simon Kenny’s set, presumably embodying a version of the ‘Marlboro man’ and also death.

As we weave between the different generations, I admittedly struggled to find the plot. The play could have benefitted from a longer run time as there was a lot of information packed into this 90-minute piece. The poetry and prose were beautiful, but the scenes swiftly moved on to the next. I wished there was time for Adebayo’s writing to linger and let us reflect. This was expedited during the final scenes with the appearance of Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of water, fertility and love. Whilst Akande’s performance in this role was enjoyable, it felt out of place and almost rushed as the play was nearing the end.

Photo by Helen Murray

‘Family Tree’ is both an important exploration and celebration of Black women’s contributions to healthcare and their undeniable strengths. The uncomfortable truths of racial inequalities over the years are revealed. From a personal viewpoint – I’m a Black woman living in the U.K., where these inequalities are still occurring, so parts of the show were difficult to hear. Nonetheless, I commend Mojisola Adebayo and Matthew Xia for creating a play that doesn’t shy away from revealing the harrowing, untold experiences of Black women as well as shedding light on Henrietta Lacks’ story.

I thoroughly enjoyed Diane Alison Mitchell’s movement direction, as the cast danced together in sync to an African drum beat. The joyous ending serves as a celebration of Henrietta Lacks’ legacy and generations of Black women.

Family Tree is playing at Brixton House Theatre until 23 April, before continuing its U.K. tour.

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Someone of Significance – VAULT Festival

🎭 Someone of Significance
📍 VAULT Festival – Network Theatre
🎫 PR invite
⭐⭐

Written by Amalia Kontesi and directed by Sam Tannenbaum, Someone of Significance explores whether love is enough for two people with nothing in common. Will structural barriers and personal beliefs keep them apart or is their connection strong enough to remain together?

The story


We meet Brad and Rosie (Simon Bass and Funlola Olufunwa) colleagues who work for a multinational banking corporation. They hail from different backgrounds, hold opposing views, and are believed to have nothing in common. Despite this, they soon begin an affair (Brad is married!) and fall in love.

As time goes by, their careers take different paths. Rosie turns to politics, holding strong views opposing gentrification. Brad disagrees, believing the new development will bring in opportunities for the community. We witness Rosie’s rise to prominence as a leftwing politician, running for president and continuing advocacy for workers’ rights. Despite Rosie and Brad’s differences in beliefs, they still share their love for one another and continue their secret relationship, hidden away in hotel rooms.

My thoughts

The story intrigued me; I was at least hoping for some in-depth discussion on politics, but what we had was quite a concise overview. Kontesi’s script veered towards ‘rom-com’ territory, and the character’s discussions surrounding societal issues, politics, and structural barriers, were never fully fleshed out.

I did enjoy Rosie and Brad’s debate on the impact of gentrification as both raised interesting arguments. It’s also a timely topic as gentrification is affecting many cities across the world. The script would have gained strength by delving further into these issues, and tying them into the character’s professional and personal opinions, especially as they came from different backgrounds. 

It’s hinted that Brad didn’t ‘have’ to work for his career in contrast to Rosie. As the play was only 60 minutes, there wasn’t enough time to get to know the characters and explore this, so I was left making assumptions. Olunfunwa and Bass gave their best efforts, but the chemistry between the actors was lacking. This made it quite difficult to believe in Rosie and Brad’s relationship and ultimately connect with the story.

The second half of the performance was stronger and included some humorous moments. I enjoyed the staging of the characters in one scene as they stood side by side, showing the contrast between their new lives. The set design is minimal, with two rail wardrobes on either side of the stage. Our characters underwent numerous outfit changes, as political sound bites played in the background. This went on for too long and interrupted the show’s pacing. I also didn’t see the necessity of the costume changes, for they didn’t add to the narrative.

Someone of Significance is a work in progress. Kontesi clearly has great ideas to share, though the execution needs improvements. The themes are strong, the characters have potential – these could be linked cleverly with the current political climate in the USA. Hopefully, over time, there will be a refocus on making this an engaging political-romance drama.

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Clementine – VAULT Festival

🎭 Clementine
📍 VAULT Festival – Network Theatre
🎫 PR invite
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As I walked into Network Theatre for ‘Clementine’, Lady Gaga’s banger, Judas, played – a strong sign that I was going to love this show!

The story

Written and performed by Rosalie Minnitt, ‘Clementine’ is a one-woman musical comedy about a young woman’s quest to find love. The time period of the show isn’t defined, but it takes place ‘in the past’ (The costumes were giving Bridgerton vibes!) 

We meet Lady Clementine (Minnitt), a single 26-year-old, desperate to find the love of her life. Lady Clementine fears if she isn’t married before her birthday, she will end up like her spinster Aunt Lauren. We learn all about Lady Clementine’s previous partners, including one who lost his head and the latest beau who has gone missing. We follow her on a hilarious, eccentric, musical journey to solve the mystery of her ill fortune with love. But perhaps she has been searching for it in all the wrong places…

My thoughts

Described as ‘Gen Z’s ode to womanhood’, Minnitt has created a funny, feel-good show, packed with cultural references that fitted perfectly with the story. Enthusiastic direction from Tristan Robinson and Alison Middleton resulted in nonstop laughter during the performance. Lady Clementine pranced, paraded and even spouted water across the stage.

Minnitt maintained such high energy and portrayed various supporting characters including her unfortunate housekeeper, Jackie and the guardian angel flemish DJ. The show was certainly interactive, with willing members of the audience reading letters and even participating in onstage raves. Minnitt is a fantastic performer and a talented comedy writer. I loved how skillfully they bounced off the audience and held our attention for the entire show. Even in the moments when Lady Clementine was offstage, the video projections added the funniest context to the story. The constant puns paired with Minnett’s impeccable comic timing made this show a total delight.

Honor Halford-MacLeod incorporated several musical melodies during the show. We even got an interpretive dance to Beyonce’s Alien Superstar. And who doesn’t love a mid-show ballad? As the audience waved their flameless candles that were placed on the seats, Lady Clementine serenaded us with ‘Guide Me, Stars’ – a song I personally think should be on Spotify.


Amongst the hilarity, the show ends with an empowering high, leaving us happy for Lady Clementine and her newfound (self) love. The hour went by quickly and I was left grinning from what we just watched. Clementine is so much fun – it’s lively, it’s quirky and certainly empowering!

Rosalie Minnett is a comedy star in the making and I can’t wait for what they do next!

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Sleepova – Bush Theatre

🎭 Sleepova
📍 Bush Theatre
🎫 PR invite
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini’s new play, Sleepova is an authentic, funny and moving piece of theatre. We follow 4 Black millennial girls as they gossip, joke, and quarrel during their sleepovers and navigate through their teenage years. Directed by Jade Lewis, Sleepova is a beautiful representation of Black sisterhood and a total joy to watch!

The story

The show begins in 2016, in East London, with four childhood friends celebrating Shan’s (Aliyah Odoffin) 16th birthday with their first-ever sleepover. Shan is vibrant, and full of enthusiasm, despite her long-term health condition. Then we have Elle, the incredibly devout Christian (Shayde Sinclair) and Rey (Amber Grappy), the cool and confidently queer friend. The quartet is complete with the exuberant and proud Yoruba,  Funmni (Bukky Bakray).

Spanning over two years, we witness the girl’s rocky transition from adolescence into adulthood. From prom nights, A-Levels, sexuality, and grief, they grapple with the idea of being friends forever as life doesn’t pan out quite how they had imagined…

Photo by Helen Murray

My thoughts

Sleepova is heartwarming, honest and utterly hilarious. The show is a fun-filled bubble of nostalgia – Ibini perfectly encapsulates the experiences of teenagers.

I appreciated every pop cultural and online meme reference that was effortlessly woven into the script. The subtle set and lighting design were effective enough to establish the scenes and varying locations. 

The cast was simply fantastic in their roles. The natural chemistry between them made the scenes even more genuine- it felt like we were watching a real-life group of friends at a sleepover.

Photo by Helen Murray

Sinclair’s Elle is well-mannered and seemingly brainwashed by her religious parents. As Elle battles with her identity, I enjoyed her and Rey’s scene together. It was heartbreaking and the pair displayed such raw emotion. Bakray’s Funmi is captivating, and charismatic, showcasing impeccable comedic timing. I loved the Yoruba phrases Funmi would inject into their speech. Similarly, Odffin performs with wonderful enthusiasm. Despite the character’s chronic illness, this rarely dampens her spirit and she appears to be the glue keeping the girls together.

The second act is far more emotional and features a poignant finale. The characters go through different experiences but what remains the same is the abundant support. Even during their ups and downs, the girls’ loyalty and sisterhood make this play so special.

Photo by Helen Murray

Described as an ‘ode to black women’, Ibini has successfully crafted a relatable play, with honest representation that acknowledges many aspects people may face in life; long-term illness, family struggles, sexuality and grief.

With unique characters performed by a talented cast, Sleepova is a beautiful, modern coming-of-age story depicting teenage dreams and sisterhood. It’s playing at Bush Theatre until 8 April 2023.

All performances of Sleepova are in a relaxed environment. Audiences are free to respond how they like, free to laugh loudly and dance to the music. It makes the experience all the more worthwhile.

Bush Theatre continually stage authentic & diverse stories – it’s the representation needed on theatre stages. I am filled with joy whenever I visit the venue. Their accolades are so well deserved and I’m extremely excited for their future!

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Blood Brothers – Richmond Theatre

🎭 Blood Brothers
📍 Richmond Theatre
🎫 PR invite
⭐⭐⭐⭐

“How comes you got everything and I got nothing?”

Willy Russell’s award-winning musical, Blood Brothers heads to Richmond Theatre for an emotionally compelling production that explores family, fate and social class.

Directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright, the musical follows twins separated at birth, not knowing their relationship and leading very different lives. Russell has written a striking story, depicting nature vs nurture, class inequality and the impact this has on our lives.

This was my first time watching the production, which opened in 1983. I was eager to know more about the nation’s much-loved musical.

The story

Set in Liverpool during the 1950s, Mrs Johnstone (Niki Colwell Evans), a single, hard-working mother of 7 falls pregnant with twins and worries about the financial burden. Mrs Johnstone is approached by the rich, middle-class Mrs Jennifer Lyons (Paula Tappenden) who offers to take one of the twins and raise him as her own. Mrs Johnstone makes the heartbreaking decision and they both agree to never let the brothers know the truth.

The brothers meet when they are 7 years old, unbeknownst about their relationship, and quickly become best friends – or as they called each other, “blood brothers”. Their friendship quickly blossoms, despite the stark contrast in their lives.

Photo by Jack Merriman

Mickey (Sean Jones) youngest of seven siblings, grows up in a working-class area of Liverpool, while Eddy (Joe Sleight) is the only child of a wealthy family who lives nearby. As they grow older, their bond slowly fades. The brothers go down different trajectories and have opposing opportunities afforded to them.

My thoughts

The Narrator (Richard Munday) guides us through the story and shares a forewarning of the brothers’ fate. Munday’s intense stage presence and strong vocals paired perfectly with Nick Riching’s powerful lighting. A beautiful score plays throughout, although the music was a little too loud at times, which made it difficult to hear the lyrics. 

Jones and Sleight delivered fantastic performances; I was impressed with the range of emotions they showcased throughout the musical. Initially, I felt distracted by adults playing 7-year-olds, but I must commend the cast for their abilities to accurately portray the different life stages. Olivia Sloyan (who played childhood sweetheart, Linda), Jones and Sleight expertly captured the naivety and energetic playfulness among children. The ensemble also did brilliantly in their supporting roles, and I enjoyed how animated they were.

Photo by Jack Merriman

It was endearing to watch the two boys, whose parents tried so hard to keep them apart, become so close. The lighthearted humour balanced nicely against the more sinister and heart-rending second act. Mickey and Eddy’s social differences became more apparent as they grew older. From what they wore, to how authorities treated them, and their financial situations. 

Jones takes us on an emotional rollercoaster. He puts on a strong performance in the second act as we witness Mickey’s depression following his time in jail. It’s heartbreaking, especially as it appears Eddy has his life together. 

Photo by Jack Merriman

Evan’s flawless vocals and raw emotion in every scene made her a total standout in this musical. We smiled as she sang about her love for dancing and when the family were rehomed. We sympathised as she battled with debt collectors. The finale song ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’ was emotionally moving – I wasn’t surprised to hear a few sniffles from the audience.

Despite being written over 40 years ago, the story feels relevant in the present day as the UK faces economic hardship amidst the cost-of-living crisis. Blood Brothers is poignant, powerful and certainly a classic musical.

It’s playing at Richmond Theatre until 25 February 2023, before continuing its UK tour.

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No Limits – Turbine Theatre

🎭 No Limits
📍 Turbine Theatre
🎫PR invite
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Five West End stars take to the stage in a new, exciting production at Turbine Theatre.

Written by Sam Thomas and directed by Dean Johnson, No Limits is a song cycle depicting an array of emotions and experiences we all can resonate with. Featuring songs of LGBTQ+ stories, family, friendships, and love, No Limits shows characters free themselves from their anxieties and develop a sense of self-belief.

The cast is made up of Owen Clayton, Hannah Lowther, Mary Moore, Matthew Maher and Natalie May Paris, all of who showcase their undeniable talent and stunning vocals. 

The song cycle takes place in a London apartment, designed aptly by Justin Williams, with each actor portraying various characters at all stages in life. We hear about failed dates, family woes, cheating partners and the anxiety of entering adulthood. 

The entire cast was amazing in their individual roles as well as together during group numbers. I loved Lowther and Maher’s romantic duet – their voices complemented each other beautifully. The second act was the strongest and where I felt the energy pick up. 

There was the humorous track around being ‘kinky’, paired with cheeky supporting props, which had the audience laughing out loud. I enjoyed the musical comedy number by Moore; they had such a lively stage presence, and we couldn’t help but smile. I especially loved the support from the cast, particularly during the more light-hearted numbers. The small details certainly added to the narratives of the songs.  

Natalie May Paris delivered outstanding vocals – their riffs and runs gave me goosebumps. The titular song, ‘No Limits’ was one of my highlights of the entire show. The lyrics were beautiful and a positive reminder that with enough self-belief, we can overcome any setbacks and ‘know no limits’.

While the songs sometimes fall into a cliche category, I still appreciated the relatability of the show. Particularly as a young person, who often feels they haven’t got their life together, this musical was authentic and provided many realistic examples of the obstacles people face. I loved the balance between the hilarity and poignant songs.

No Limits is a joyous production, full to the brim with positivity and a wonderful cast. I can’t wait to see where the production goes next! You can catch the show at Turbine Theatre until 26 February!

(P.S. – We would love a cast recording!!) 

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The High Life – Barons Court Theatre

🎭 The High Life
📍 Barons Court Theatre
🎫 PR invite
⭐⭐⭐

Scott Younger’s new play The High Life heads to Barons Court theatre for a funny yet honest portrayal of toxic work environments.

The story

The story follows Kayla (Feyisara Mendes) a graduate who moved to London and began work in a hipster coffee shop. Kayla dreams of having a ‘proper’ job and after a run-in with an old acquaintance, she soon lands a new role at a PR firm. We follow Kayla on her journey at Performance PR, and the eventual burnout she experiences. The complicated (and secret!) relationship with her boss paired with the workload, takes a toll on Kayla and she results to alcohol as a coping mechanism.

My thoughts

‘The High Life’ is humourous, and at times heartbreaking, as we witness Kayla’s decline throughout her time at the PR firm. 

Directed by Sarah Githugu, Mendes gave a strong performance and their comedic timing was brilliant. They skillfully captured our attention and maintained high energy throughout the 2 hour-long solo show. The character, Kayla, was incredibly likeable from the moment she entered the stage, dancing to Whitney Houston and retelling funny stories about her cafe job.

Mendes performed various characters in the story, effortlessly switching between accents and mannerisms. While I did notice some slip-ups, they still delivered a great performance and I especially enjoyed the emotive range we were shown by Mendes. Act 2 features a more vulnerable Kayla as she struggles with the pressure to be ‘successful’ and becomes reliant on alcohol to manage her stress.

Younger’s writing is authentic and sheds light on a multitude of issues, that sadly may feel familiar to many of us 20-somethings-year-olds. Kayla experiences casual racism from clients, sexual harassment from strangers and dodgy propositions from landlords. On top of that, her boyfriend’s behaviour seems to knock her confidence, making Kayla question her ability in the job.

While I appreciated all the themes, some scenes (the Dubai work trip) were too long and didn’t necessarily add much to the overall story. Other scenarios with Kayla’s boss/boyfriend also felt predictable.

I commend Younger for writing a unique play that explores a young black woman’s experience in toxic workplaces. Going a step further to delve deep and highlight industry racism would have elevated the story even more. From hearing the description of Kayla’s colleagues who quit or were fired, there is something to be said about them all being women of colour. This could have been an interesting plot to focus on, especially as Kayla acknowledged that her white colleagues and Darren seem to get away with doing minimal work. 

Overall, I enjoyed ‘The High Life‘. The creative team have developed an original piece of theatre, performed wonderfully by Mendes. With some minimised scenes and more focus on specific issues, this story could be even stronger. I’m looking forward to where it will go next!

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Chicken Burger N Chips – Brixton House

🎭 Chicken Burger N Chips
📍 Brixton House
🎫 Gifted
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The world wasn’t designed for us to succeed playboy, you gotta clock that we’re living in an uneven society.”


Written by Corey Bovell and directed by TD. Moyo, Chicken Burger N Chips is a fast-paced, witty play that tells a story about gentrification and the impact it’s having on the lives of its youths. 

Set in South London, Bovell has produced an authentic coming-of-age story, full of nostalgic references, notable music and the most upbeat performance.

The story

Summer holidays are here and 18-year-old Corey awaits his A-Level results. During his regular routine of hanging out in fast food chain, Morleys with the mandem, Corey meets Jodie, who makes him realise the changes occurring in the Lewisham borough. The more time spent together, Corey grapples with the notion of staying in ‘ends’ or leaving to pursue his dreams.

The play explores gentrification as Corey watches local Lewisham landmarks be demolished and replaced with flats, yoga mats & hipsters – leaving no shops, no markets, and no culture. 

A run-in with rivals further touches on the impact of gang violence and the fear and uncertainty this causes amongst young Black men. As a friend tells Corey that “we live in an uneven society”, Corey wonders what the future holds for him. 

Photo by Helen Murray

My thoughts

TD. Moyo creatively directs the performance with Corey (played by Gamba Cole) cooking fried chicken live on stage as shares his story. This was a fascinating directional choice from Moyo, that didn’t interrupt the flow of the play.

Allyson Julien’s set design accurately represented a family kitchen; photographs on the fridge, a noughties-looking stereo, Ainsley Harriot cookbooks and Dunn’s River seasoning on the counter. Cole utilises the entire space as he shares his adoration for Lewisham. He describes Morley’s as the ‘beacon of South London’, and it’s clear the food spot became a sanctuary for him and his friends. 

Photo by Helen Murray

Gamba Cole puts on a fantastic performance as Corey in this solo show. Cole oozed charisma and humour in the role, keeping the audience engrossed all throughout. 

Bovell’s writing is engaging, witty and sparks pure joy, which is exactly what Cole delivered. I laughed a lot during the performance, especially during the scenes in Morley’s. 

There was multi-roleplaying from Cole as he effortlessly transformed into different characters in the story. Cole impressively showcased a range of mannerisms. Each character portrayal felt relatable, adding even more depth to the story. Additionally, Ben Garcia’s seamless lighting design did well to indicate the transitions between characters. The show also featured musical interludes of various genres, and the audience couldn’t help but join in.

Photo by Helen Murray

Overall, Chicken Burger N Chips is captivating, filled to the brim with enthusiasm and joy. It’s incredibly moving as Bovell incorporates important themes throughout. At its core, the show is a celebration of South London. It also takes its time to explore issues teenagers face and the socio-economic impacts of gentrification in working-class areas in London.

As a Millenial that grew up in South London, eating Morley’s every other day after school, I am thankful that this play exists. I hope it returns for an even longer run on stage!