“What begins as chaos resolves into something precise, controlled, and quietly devastating.”
DOWN TO CHANCE
“A relentless comic performance that sustains its momentum right through to the final beat.”
Sorry (I Broke Your Arms and Legs)
At the Pleasance Theatre, Maybe You Like It arrive in London with a double bill that hinges on contrast. One piece reconstructs a moment of historical crisis with mounting intensity. The other leans into absurdity, charting the emotional logic of adolescence through escalating theatrical form. What connects them is not subject but execution. Both are built on precision, on performance, and on the careful shaping of momentum.
Down to Chance
Written and performed by Ellie Jay Cooper, alongside Robert Merriam, Down to Chance draws on the real story of radio journalist Genie Chance in 1964 Anchorage. Under the direction of Caleb Barron, the production uses multi-rolling, live sound, and rapid transitions to construct a community in crisis.
At first, the multi-rolling is difficult to track. Characters overlap and the pace threatens clarity. But once the rhythm settles, the effect sharpens. What initially feels confusing becomes defined. Each character lands with a distinct physicality, tone, and presence. It becomes impossible to confuse them. From that point on, the production tightens. Transitions feel controlled rather than frantic. The storytelling gains confidence, revealing a careful underlying structure.
The emotional centre arrives toward the end. As Genie Chance delivers a crucial broadcast, the scale contracts and the noise recedes. The moment is held with restraint, and it is difficult not to feel a chill. The ending resists easy resolution. It is beautiful without becoming sentimental, landing at a summit rather than a conclusion.
Sorry (I Broke Your Arms and Legs)
Written and performed by James Akka, Sorry (I Broke Your Arms and Legs) follows twelve-year-old Sam Wilson as he attempts to secure the role of Head Boy through an increasingly elaborate PowerPoint presentation. Directed by Caleb Barron, the production transforms a familiar format into something theatrically inventive.
From the outset, the energy is total. It does not drop. Akka moves between characters with remarkable fluency, shifting voice, posture, and rhythm so completely that his own baseline becomes impossible to locate. Sam’s world unfolds through rivalries and anxieties, from the looming presence of Darius to competition with Chris as play lead. The narrative initially appears to scatter, branching outward. For a moment, it is unclear where the piece is heading. Then the structure reveals itself. Small threads begin to tighten. What seemed like digression becomes purposeful, with earlier details feeding cleanly into later revelations.
Akka uses every available tool. Infographics, impressions, tonal shifts. The PowerPoint is not a gimmick. Each slide adds information, shifts perspective, and steadily builds the case Sam is trying to make. The humour remains constant, but beneath it sits something more precise: a recognition of how large these stakes feel at twelve. The performance honours that scale without undercutting it. The energy carries through to the final word, maintaining clarity and control throughout.
A Double Bill in Contrast
The two productions could not be more different in subject. One looks outward, toward community and crisis. The other turns inward, toward ego and identity. Yet the quality across both is strikingly consistent. Performance and structure are handled with equal care.
Maybe You Like It demonstrate a clear sense of how to shape theatrical form around material. The result is a double bill unified not by theme, but by the precision of its execution.








