I’LL BE BACK
The Glitch
★★★
“a thoughtful, inventive solo show filled with nostalgia, humour, and ambition”
I’ll Be Back invites the audience into an intimate space shaped by projection, where the past and future of the 1990s collide. Written and performed by Justine Malone, the show reimagines The Terminator through a personal lens, placing Sarah Connor not in Los Angeles but in Dudley in 1997. Early references to video games and Super Mario immediately locate the piece within a specific cultural moment, blending childhood play with sci-fi mythology
Malone guides us through fractured timelines, slipping between a teenage Sarah watching VHS tapes with her brother and a future self trapped inside the sterile world of Cyberdyne Systems. The narrative jumps freely across time and reality, blending pop culture references with autobiographical textures. Along the way, Sarah is accompanied by Clippy – yes, the infamous Microsoft Word assistant – recast as her unlikely best friend and guide in a mission to save humanity before Judgement Day. As the quest unfolds, the story opens up space for rediscovery, resurfacing people and memories thought to be long lost.
Malone’s writing is imaginative and ambitious, and her performance demonstrates considerable versatility as a solo performer. She rapidly switches between characters including her brother, her boss, and a lab technician, with transformations that are fast-paced and physically demanding. However, the speed and density of these shifts sometimes work against the material. Moments of dialogue and comedy can lack specificity, meaning certain emotional beats and punchlines pass by before they have time to fully land.
Direction by Ezra Dobson, Emma Webb, and Alex Coke brings a wide array of theatrical ideas to the piece. The physical language of the show is bold and challenging, with some quietly beautiful visual moments – particularly a transformation sequence that stands out for its clarity and control. At times, though, the way these ideas are pieced together feels uneven, with transitions that don’t always fully resolve.
Sound and technical design are among the show’s strongest elements. A mix of 90s rock and electronic music saturates the space with nostalgia, sure to resonate with millennial and 90s audiences. The technical execution – handled by Nina Morgan – is precise and playful, with slick transitions between music, lighting, voiceovers, and cues that add texture and rhythm to the narrative.
The show begins with high energy and confidence, but sustaining that momentum proves challenging. With constant time shifts and multi-rolling, the performance can feel tightly controlled, almost cinematic in its polish. The piece would benefit from more looseness, more space between characters and moments – allowing jokes to breathe and emotional shifts to unfold more naturally.
I’ll Be Back is a thoughtful, inventive solo show filled with nostalgia, humour, and ambition. With greater restraint and trust in stillness – particularly in navigating the demands of multi-rolling – the show has the potential to land with even greater impact.
I’LL BE BACK
The Glitch
Reviewed on 15th January 2026
by Nasia Ntalla
Photography by Simon Vail
