HOUSE OF LIFE

Soho Theatre

★★★★★

“this is how art can uplift and bring hope in trying times.”

Sheep Soup’s Gospel Church inspired Rave brings joy to the heart of London with this wonderful hour’s worth of music, glitter and audience interaction. An experience that not only aims to bring the audience happiness but succeeds in doing so, in a way that managed to bring a tear to my eye.

The show begins with a fantastic musical number, welcoming the audience to the House of Life. The RaveRend (Ben Welch) guides the audience through the 6 stages of life alongside musical and loop machine genius Trev (Lawrence Cole). He is a powerhouse at singing throughout the musical numbers and incorporated the audience in every step. The most touching moment for me was during the Self-Esteem stage of the show. The RaveRend approaches several audience members asking them if they are attending with a loved one. He then approaches them asking them to say to the audience what they love about them. I was lucky enough to attend this show with my partner, and told the audience how he is the kindest person know. Both he and I teared up and it was an incredibly moving moment for us both. The RaveRend also asked who was there on their own and the chosen individual was invited on stage to sing a song of affirmation. The whole sequence was wildly motivating and it really drove a beautiful sense of community throughout the room.

Self esteem and affirmations was followed by a visualisation section, where the audience are asked about their dream life. It felt like at this point any cynics could be turned into a believer of manifestation and the power of a growth mindset. With the RaveRend’s glitter fuelled optimism and incredible ability to improvise lyrics about your hopes and dreams on the spot, how could you not? The journey is not one note, however. The emotional journey still has its darker parts as the audience recalls the things that annoy them and makes them sad. But we’re invited to let them, because without the lows one can never enjoy the highs.

There’s no doubt that no two performances of this show will ever be the same. You could feel the connection and spark in the room during this show; strangers becoming friends as we were invited to put our hands up and sing together. We were even asked if we wanted glitter to be painted on our face upon arrival. This is how art fosters community, and this is how art can uplift and bring hope in trying times. A must see for all of those who need a little love right now, and those with plenty to share.

HOUSE OF LIFE

Soho Theatre then UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 28th May 2025

by David Robinson

Photography by Mark Senior

For further tour dates and venues click the image below

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

JORDAN GRAY: IS THAT A C*CK IN YOUR POCKET, OR ARE YOU JUST HERE TO KILL ME? | ★★★★★ | May 2025

WHAT IF THEY ATE THE BABY? | ★★★★★ | March 2025

WEATHER GIRL | ★★★½ | March 2025

DELUGE | ★★★★ | February 2025

ROB AUTON: THE EYES OPEN AND SHUT SHOW | ★★★½ | February 2025

DEMI ADEJUYIGBE IS GOING TO DO ONE (1) BACKFLIP | ★★★★★ | January 2025

MAKE ME LOOK FIT ON THE POSTER | ★★★★ | January 2025

SANTI & NAZ | ★★★★ | January 2025

BALL & BOE – FOR FOURTEEN NIGHTS ONLY | ★★★★ | December 2024

GINGER JOHNSON BLOWS OFF! | ★★★ | September 2024

HOUSE OF LIFE

★★★★

“The atmosphere is not built with materials, but with sound, silence, and breath”

On a stark, shadow-drenched stage, Macbeth breathes again – visceral, raw, and chillingly relevant. This stripped-back production brings Shakespeare’s tragedy into the present with terrifying clarity, proving that ambition, guilt, and power never go out of fashion. There are no elaborate sets, no grandiose costumes, only two actors, their voices, their presence, and the weight of one of the most haunting plays ever written.

Ant Henson and Martha Ibbotson deliver performances of remarkable intensity and intelligence. Together, they inhabit a multitude of roles with seamless dexterity, shifting personas with only the subtlest changes in posture, tone, and gaze. Their chemistry on stage is magnetic, and their understanding of the text runs deep. At times, it feels like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are not just being portrayed, but lived. Shakespeare would no doubt recognise his words in their mouths, and perhaps even nod in approval at the fearless urgency with which they resurrect his work.

This is theatre reduced to its purest form. With no props or scenery to rely on, the setting is conveyed entirely through the text. The actors’ words become the landscape: we see the misty highlands of Scotland, the candlelit corridors of Dunsinane, and the eerie, wind-swept heath where the witches deliver their fateful prophecies, all summoned through Shakespeare’s language and the evocative delivery of the performers. The atmosphere is not built with materials, but with sound, silence, and breath.

Produced by Most Rare Vision, this minimalist masterpiece is supported by the precise and evocative work of Shelton Wong on sound and lighting. The lights do not simply illuminate, they sculpt the space, casting long shadows and sudden bursts of intensity that mirror the psychological descent of the characters.

A nod also goes to associate producer Emma Louise-Price for her contribution behind the scenes, helping bring the vision to the stage with care and clarity.

This Macbeth is not a comfortable experience, and it shouldn’t be. It’s a visceral, lean, and emotionally charged retelling that strips the story to its bloody core. The result is a chillingly modern portrait of human ambition and ruin. It doesn’t just retell Shakespeare’s tale; it reclaims it for today.

Category Archives: Reviews

HOUSE OF LIFE

★★★★★

UK Tour

HOUSE OF LIFE

Soho Theatre

★★★★★

“this is how art can uplift and bring hope in trying times.”