Author: Lucy Holz

REVIEW: The Chemistry Test

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Rating: 3 out of 5.

AI meets sketch comedy in this rollicking two-hander

Following the 2022 staging of We Wrote A Show at Camden Fringe, Hannah Adams and Jack Cray have returned to the stage with a new iteration. Based on the same characters and loose plot line as their previous production, they now focus their new show on the complexities of love and dating in the digital age. 

This latest production, Chemistry Test, follows the same characters (two Artificial Intelligences, Steve and Evie), as they complete the final stages of testing before being sent to Earth. Their mission? To teach humans that art of romance…without the apps. 

Although advertised with an 85-minute run time, this show just scrapes past the 50-minute mark, giving the audience a whirlwind tour through life as a bot in training. Presented more as a set of high-energy sketches than a cohesive play, Adams and Cray perform one amusing situation after the next, all nestled within the context of their sci-fi world. 

Crammed with audience interaction, Adams and Cray enlist backstage help to choose crowd members from every part of the intimate space. Avoiding the front row won’t keep you safe in this show! From forming the line for a meet cute in a coffee shop, to protecting the bots from murderous engineers, the audience of this show form a strong ensemble. 

The lengthiest interaction features an audience-sourced couple brought onstage to act as friends of the bots, eliciting some impressive improv from the two civilians. The performers do seem somewhat unequipped to handle too much interaction however, with Cray in particular being oddly aggressive in every exchange with an audience member. 

Despite this, the scenarios are amusing, intriguing and touching, with pop-culture references guaranteed to leave the audience in giggles. Written by Cray, the script continually subs out standard vocabulary for ‘bot speak’, like when Steve tells Evie she’s ‘switching him on’. Each time one of these clever substitutions appear the audience breaks out in a new round of titters, a testament to some truly amusing writing by Cray. 

Although often funny, the script does lack a clear structure, we’re never really introduced to the characters, the world or the premise, rather left to figure that out on our own. The ending is similarly confusing, with a bazinga-style punchline delivered that leaves some uncertainty around the relationship between the two characters and where to from here. 

However, this show has great potential as it continues to develop. The inclusion of a director in particular would no doubt boost the production to even greater theatrical heights. Adams and Cray are a natural performers and handle the material with ease, just needing an outside eye to bring it all together.

REVIEW: What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Inspired by a story from 2012, this play rings truer than ever in 2024

Opening on the second birthday of the Marylebone Theatre, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank boasts a star-studded cast and audience alike. Written by award-winning author Nathan Englander, this play is based on his Pulitzer-finalist short story of the same name. 

Following the reunion of 2 polar-opposite Jewish couples, this play dissects the difference between Orthodox and secular Judaism and what is means to be a Jew in 2024. The content of the play is relevant and on the pulse, Englander explaining how he rewrote the original version to include the events after October 7. The conversations being had onstage reflect those we’re having in our own homes, allowing for the nuance so often forgotten by social media commentary. 

Excellent direction by Patrick Marber keeps the energy flowing and the action dynamic. This partnered with Englanders short, punchy scenes keeps the work engaging and fresh. No topic is lingered on for too long, with each change of subject signposted by the fifth character in this play and son of the secular couple, Trevor. 

Gabriel Howell plays this role as an angsty college student to perfection, effectively arguing that pretty soon there won’t be a planet to have these existential arguments on, so we may as well all just worship The Flying Spaghetti Monster. Similarly, Dorothea Myer – Bennett is a standout in her portrayal of an ultra-orthodox woman who can’t bring herself to obey every rule of her religion, especially when it comes to the wellbeing of her 8 daughters. 

The action takes place in a fully functioning kitchen designed by Anna Fleischle. Wanting to explain how these people can have such charged arguments and yet continue to stay in the same room, Fleischle has created a set which traps the couples inside, forcing them to reconcile their differences rather than storming out. 

Ultimately, the plays biggest strength is generating conversation amongst the audience. Finishing by playing the ‘Anne Frank game’, the characters ask each other, if it was 1942, would they hide their companion from the Nazis? This forces the same question onto each audience member, who would you hide? And who would you leave behind rather than risk your life to save? A riveting exploration of what is means to be Jewish in the modern day, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank is a must-watch, regardless of your faith or background.

REVIEW: Brace Brace

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Buckle-in for the turbulence of this action-packed drama 

*some spoilers ahead*

This 70-minute thriller by Oli Forsyth follows two newlyweds, Ray and Sylvia, who suddenly find themselves on board a hijacked plane en route to their honeymoon. The action is immediate from the start, with the plane is hijacked Sylvia becomes a hero, fighting the hijacker and giving the pilot time to regain consciousness when they’re a mere 4 seconds away from a fatal crash. 

Anna Reid has created a masterful design for this production, constructing a hinged boarding bridge that leads from a hole in the stage up to a closed-off cockpit. Set in the traverse, all the action happens around this structure, demonstrating how the event of the hijacking remains an inescapable presence in the characters’ lives. 

Direction by Daniel Raggett is similarly excellent, giving the play a dynamic energy and making total use of the small stage. Assisted by movement and fight directors George Mann and Alex Payne, this play showcases several thrilling movement sequences that leave the audience gasping for breath. 

A constant stream of shivers run down my spine during the hijacking scene, every element of stagecraft works together in perfect harmony to create a terrifyingly realistic portrayal of such a traumatic event. This might be a good time to advise avoiding this play if you have a fear of flying. 

A true ensemble piece, all three actors give exceptional performances. Anjana Vasan as a steadfast then spiralling Sylvia, Phil Dunster as her unempathetic husband Ray and Craige Els as a range of characters from father to pilot to the hijacker himself. 

However, Forsyth’s play stumbles over two key pillars of its premise. Firstly, that swiftly after his arrest, the hijacker is released from custody on grounds of paranoia causing a psychotic episode. This lack of legal repercussion feels unrealistic, and is paired with the second unbelievable phenomenon, that no-one other than Sylvia seems to care. She is painted as the crazy, vindictive character seeking retribution against the hijacker who broke her ribs, while all the other passengers, the media and even the father of a 7-year old girl on the plane are totally at peace with his release. The play might even make more sense if the opposite were true, that everyone was seeking justice except one passenger. 

In a world of cancel culture and mob-mentality, it’s difficult to believe everyone has been so easily able to forgive a hijacker attempting to murder 400 people, regardless of his precarious mental state. Every other element of this production is flawless, but this stumbling block prevents it from packing a punch. 

Nevertheless, this is a thrilling play from start to finish. The brief running time barely gives the audience a chance to catch their breath and with a gruesome final scene, the end of this play leaves us reeling. It’s not quite realistic enough for me to cancel my next flight, but it’ll definitely make me buckle my seatbelt.

REVIEW: Selfies, Visas and how I pay for my dinners

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Rating: 3 out of 5.

A journey across the world condensed into 45-minutes of comedy, cabaret and chaos. 

Tucked away upstairs in a nondescript pub in Camden, Etcetera Theatre is a hub for independent artists to gather, create and perform. Tonight, the production is a one-woman show by Anastasiya Ador, an accomplished Belarusian-Ukrainian performance artist.

Beginning her life in Belarus, at 16 Ador moved to India before making her way to the UK. Despite her tumultuous life journey, she is *not* having an identity crisis, instead working to embrace all these sides of herself, from dutiful daughter to Bollywood dancer and everything in-between. 

The show begins with Ador addressing the audience directly, asking us to act like we’re in a club. That means whooping, hollering, and giving her the most enthusiastic welcome we can muster as she dances onto the stage. This is the beginning of a long line of audience interactions, with most scenes requiring crowd involvement. 

Unlike typical stand-up, Ador doesn’t tear into these unsuspecting participants, instead making the interactions fun and unexpected. Part of a generous audience, we are more than happy to comply with her requests, doing anything from learning choreography to shouting out tough English words and providing props from our own bags. 

The show has solid bones, with Ador pulling out fascinating stories and sometimes shocking life experiences. However, these are rarely fleshed out and leave the audience wanting more. Ador misses an opportunity to make societal comment or interrogate how her experiences sit within the cultural norms of the country she’s living in. 

This ties into a heavily overplayed performance structure that the piece ‘isn’t a real show’, rather a collection of ideas accumulated by Ador for a future dream show at The National. Although this is an intentional bit, the show genuinely lacks cohesion and does come across more as a series of unconnected sketches than a fully polished piece.

However, the show has great potential and with the inclusion of a director would no doubt be boosted to new heights. Ador is a natural performer and handles the complex material about her even more complex life with ease. Her use of props to keep the show engaging and fresh is exceptional and inspired. 

Ador frequently mentions her desire to take the show to Edinburgh Fringe next year, and with further honing it undoubtedly has the potential to be a huge success.

Princess Essex by Odeke; ;Writer - Anne Odeke; Director - Robin Belfield; Dramaturg -Sarah Dickenson; Movement & Intimacy Director - Ingrid Mackinnon; Designer - Hayley Grindle; Costume Supervisor - Isobel Pellow; The Globe theatre, 2024, Credit: Johan Persson/

REVIEW: Princess Essex

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

A riotous romp through 1900’s England, led by Britain’s first black beauty queen. 

A heart-warming tale of courage and tenacity, Princess Essex follows the inspiring true story of the first woman of colour to enter a beauty pageant in the UK. Rumoured to be a Senegalese royal, in 1908 Princess Dinubolu travelled to Southend-on-Sea to enter the international pageant, held at the towns well-loved events venue, the Kursaal. Her historic origins are unknown and playwright Anne Odeke toys with her potential backstory, bringing us a reimagined version of this titular character. 

Odeke creates the role of Joanna, a local ‘half caste’ housemaid who feels drawn to enter the pageant. By playing this fiery servant herself, Odeke has become the first woman of colour to write and star in her own play at Shakespeare’s Globe. Her writing is immaculate and her acting chops live up to a demanding script (not to mention her fabulous singing voice). 

A vaudevillian affair, this show boasts a live orchestra and full-cast musical numbers. It’s a high-energy performance, with none of the actors showing signs of tiring, despite constant entrances, exits and both character and costume changes. The expert costuming by Isobel Pellow allows instant character transformation, and despite the constant changing of identities it’s always clear who’s who. The costumes, wigs and accessories are vibrant and exciting, while giving a playful nod to Edwardian fashions. 

Despite the Amazonian performance by Odeke, there is no real star of this show. A true piece of ensemble theatre, every actor steps up to bring this compelling story to life. Alison Halstead is an engaging Mr Batwa, the Pygmy who inspires Joanna to quit her job and pursue greater passions. Eloise Secker plays a hilarious Violet, the spoiled daddy’s girl, who becomes increasingly infatuated with a housemaid and Suffragette. 

However, this is where the play shows some weakness. Despite its lengthy runtime, there are a number of subplots and loose ends that are never resolved. Violet’s sapphic interests are introduced too late in the piece to be fully explored and the financial future of the Kursaal remains uncertain. Refining these elements would create a tighter, cleaner show with clearer messaging. 

Despite these minor shortcomings, this play is a huge success. With all the trimmings of a Christmas pantomime, the show is tremendously fun, with the audience getting more and more involved as the story progresses. 

Odeke and director Robin Belfield have created an impressive piece of theatre, using serious themes to deliver the ultimate message of the importance of representation and being seen. A must watch for anyone who has ever felt invisible or like their identity precludes them from pursuing their dreams. Take a page out of Princess Dinubolu’s book and enter that pageant!