“A playful piece on a political topic that asks what matters more, people or profit.”
When Max (Rob Pomfret) stumbles upon a universal cure, he firmly believes it should be freely accessible to everyone, for the good of humanity. His boss and CEO, Judy (Sophie MacKall), disagrees, insisting it should be available, but at a price. Unsurprisingly, Max is fired, prompting him to plan the smuggling of a batch out of the secret lab. His daughter is soon caught up in the chaos and, as she begins to realise just how morally corrupt Judy is, joins the fight for humanity. Once a secret plan is set in motion, more truths spill out, leading to both humorous and disastrous consequences.
Set within a realistically designed tech lab, this well performed and sharply written piece poses a familiar but urgent question, what matters more, human lives or money? Despite its clear political stance, the inclusion of current cultural references adds to the realism, while moments of absurdity help to lighten the tone. Overall, the production remains largely light-hearted. Some of the humour appeared to land more strongly with younger audience members, those in their 30s, which may suggest that certain references were missed by others, or perhaps the piece is simply aimed at a younger demographic. It could also be attributed to the Thursday night audience. The energy often differs compared to a Friday or Saturday performance, and I imagine the response may vary accordingly.
While I did not laugh quite as much as the person sitting in front of me, though there were certainly standout moments, this remains one of the best written and best performed pieces I have seen in independent theatre. Since Covid, the idea of people before profit has become increasingly prominent in public consciousness, and this production tackles the theme in a thoughtful yet playful way. It avoids becoming heavy or overly intense, which can sometimes dull the impact of such topics, and instead delivers its message with clarity and humour, arguably making it all the more effective. After all, it reflects a sadly real corporate mindset, and if you cannot laugh at it, you might just cry at the injustice.
One Jab Cures All is an entertaining and provocative piece that will either make you laugh or, at the very least, leave you nodding in agreement with its core message, occasionally punctuated by lines you probably should not be laughing at. Ultimately, it is a fun and polished production well worth seeing, and a strong reminder that independent theatre is anything but amateurish.