★★

“a deliberately hard watch”

The fickleness of fame has long been documented. Holding onto the beast that is success, in a world where your five minutes is dwindling to a 30-second TikTok, has become almost unachievable. The market is saturated, attention spans are shorter, and careers can be cancelled in an instant. According to Rodney Black, “This is the worst time in history for the straight, white male.”

The cosy, familiar safety that usually settles over an audience as the lights dim is short-lived in this disturbing, confrontational production by the female-led Full Frontal Theatre. The stage, paired with bold blue lighting, evokes the atmosphere of a late-night comedy club. The only things missing are the smell of stale beer and the ambiguous moisture that clings to the walls. Lucky for us, we have just the host to provide that queasy feeling: enter comedian Rodney Black.

Rodney (Ben Willows) takes centre stage, armed with a stand-up microphone. He receives a few chuckles during his introduction before eagerly launching into a routine of misogynistic, homophobic, racist, and ableist jokes. The room quickly descends into uncomfortable silence as audience members squirm and grimace. Despite the cold reception, Willows is sharp and direct, laughing where the audience doesn’t. He impressively maintains the pace, a difficult tightrope to walk while performing a medium that relies on interaction, in a production that urges viewers not to engage.

Written by Sadie Pearson, Rodney Black: Who Cares? It’s Working is a deliberately hard watch. Through Rodney, she delivers a stand-up routine that describes graphic sexual violence towards women with a wink and a smile. It’s not funny, it’s not subtle: it’s exposure therapy. “It’s just a joke,” Rodney cries, but Pearson makes it clear this is no laughing matter.

There’s a direct correlation between the aggression in Rodney’s act and the success he gains, culminating in a particularly brutal joke describing how he would mutilate a woman. After this gig, a male ‘superfan’ attacks and murders a female audience member, following Black’s routine to the letter. Supported by Hen Ryan’s punchy, reactive direction, chaos ensues as Rodney’s equally vile manager (Bertie Taylor-Smith) goes into hyperdrive trying to minimise the media fallout.

The problem is that Rodney is simply too one-dimensional to imagine having this much impact. His routine is uncomfortable, not appalling. There’s insufficient contrast between his on- and off-stage personas to suggest it’s just an act. Repulsive as he may be, we never understand who Rodney is or what drives him to make people laugh. His manager offers no alternative view, equally small-minded and wetter than the snowflakes he mocks. In trying to represent an important issue, these characters become conceptual.

The unnamed Woman (Merida Beasley) is a constant presence, haunting the stage and probing the narrative. She repeatedly reminds us of the horrors the victim endured: an arm broken in three places, a dislocated jaw. These are the most powerful moments in Pearson’s heavy-handed play, but they are few and far between. There’s too much focus on Black’s offensive performance, the very thing it aims to denounce. In attempting to draw a parallel between cancel culture and violence against women, the premise becomes convoluted, landing more as a statement on media literacy and internet safeguarding than anything else.

In a world where ‘art’ has become synonymous with ‘content’, it’s harder to determine what is an act and what is truth. Creators chase viral moments, while disingenuous ragebait fuels engagement. Rodney Black: Who Cares? It’s Working challenges its audience to recognise that just as actions have consequences, words can too.

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY: THE MUSICAL

Arcola Theatre

★★★★

“brimming with passion and sincerity”

How do you reconcile such differing temperaments as Jane Austen’s Elinor and Marianne? Ledwell Productions does exactly this in ‘Sense & Sensibility, The Musical’, blending opera with musical theatre in a fresh new take.

Based on Austen’s novel ‘Sense and Sensibility’, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood don’t have it easy. Their father dies; they lose their income; sensible Elinor’s blossoming romance with the bashful Edward Ferrars is cut short; the Dashwoods relocate to Devonshire to live near their cousins, the Middletons. Luckily the Middletons take pity and introduce them to the brooding Colonel Brandon, who sets his cap at Marianne. But Marianne’s a hopeless romantic and when the charismatic Mr Willoughby sweeps her off her feet (literally), passions ignite… until scandal and illness trigger an abrupt change of course.

Produced by Elora Ledger with book and lyrics by Jeffrey Haddow, music by Neal Hampton and musical direction by Guy Murgatroyd, ‘Sense & Sensibility, The Musical’ blends musical theatre and opera, doing both surprisingly well. The songs have a familiar structure and feel while the delivery is classical. It may seem an odd choice but it evokes the period perfectly while drawing modern audiences in. The deliciously complex score is another high point, mixing up keys, metres and tempos to convey the exact mood each moment requires.

It’s tightly written with a slimmed down plot driving the narrative and emotional development forward. The clever and sparing use of song to reveal hidden desires without diminishing decorum is particularly satisfying. The only slight stall occurs in Act 2 when Edward sings before the sisters’ moment of mutual realisation, the latter of which feels a little rushed. That said, the book is delightfully funny with some unexpectedly self-aware moments.

Alexandra Cowell’s direction shows off the cast’s range, each person playing multiple characters. That said, some of the choices are a little odd. Marianne endures her illness on the floor, the cast singing towards her rather than out. The ensemble numbers feel a little remote with stiff choreography, face obscuring masks and flat characterisations. Willoughby (meant to be 25) and Sir John (meant to be 40) are played by the same person. The multiple roles necessitate frequent quick changes, some of which are more successful than others. Although minor individually, collectively these points erode some of the realism.

The set (Dream of Eclectic Chic) successfully evokes various Regency drawing rooms though is a little sparse – Marianne could do with a couch for example. The costumes (Ledger) use beautiful fabrics and styles though the minimalist set draws the eye to things like sleeves falling down and less successful quick changes. The lighting design is a bit basic, steeping the room in purple at dramatic moments but otherwise missing several chances to heighten dramatic tension. The sound design makes successful use of effects, though microphones could avoid the dialogue being drowned out by music at points.

The cast is fantastic, with Rachael Liddell’s Elinor, Ledger’s Marianne, and the chemistry between them particular highlights. Liddell is a masterclass in acting through song, showing every facet of Elinor’s character with a stunning mezzo soprano voice. Marianne’s effervescent naivety is at such odds with Lucy Steele’s withering condescension you almost forget Ledger plays both. Ledger also keeps Marianne endearingly relatable despite her emotional outbursts and even shows off some effortless soprano coloratura. Cowell contrasts her exuberant Mrs Jennings/Dashwood with taciturn Fanny/Miss Grey and a beautiful high soprano voice. The skilful musicians (Daryl Giuliano, Felicity Broome-Skelton, and Murgatroyd) are a delight, filling the room with rich sound.

If you like musical theatre but are less sure about opera, ‘Sense & Sensibility, The Musical’ brings out the best of both in this masterful union. Much like our heroines, it is brimming with passion and sincerity even if it could use a little refinement in places. Don’t miss your chance to see it, lest like Willoughby you regret what might have been.

RODNEY BLACK: WHO CARES? IT’S WORKING

Arcola Theatre

★★

“a deliberately hard watch”

RODNEY BLACK: WHO CARES? IT’S WORKING

Arcola Theatre

Reviewed on 3rd September 2025

by Lily Melhuish

Photography by Grace Shropshire

Recently reviewed at the venue:

RODNEY

RODNEY

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SENSE AND SENSIBILITY: THE MUSICAL

Arcola Theatre

★★★★

“brimming with passion and sincerity”

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY: THE MUSICAL

Arcola Theatre

Reviewed on 19th August 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Recent reviews from this venue:

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

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