THE SHITHEADS
Royal Court Theatre
★★★★
“Searching, disquieting and uncomfortably familiar”
Jack Nicholls bursts onto the scene with his debut play, ‘The Shitheads’. Brutal and gripping, it reveals how fiercely our oldest instincts still shape us.
In a distant but unsettlingly familiar age, it’s survival of the fittest. Clare’s family of cave dwellers fear the ‘Shitheads’ outside – stupid, poisonous people who’ll kill you quick. Clare and her family are different – they’re magical (Daddy said so and so did his Daddy). But when Clare meets one by chance, her comfortable reality cracks and uglier instincts come pouring through.
Nicholls lands a striking debut with a humorous, tender folk horror that compellingly captures the ‘us vs them’ mentality. It smartly evokes Plato’s allegory, probes our core urges, and pries open an oppressive system, resonating across countless modern contexts. The narrative builds well, steadily dismantling the mythology and signalling a revolution – though some instincts prove too strong in the end. That said, I find Clare’s contradictory actions a little puzzling at times.
Co direction from David Byrne and Aneesha Srinivasan, with assistant Mayaan Haputantri, leans into the uneasy coexistence of love and death. Bone décor and skull kitchenware reveal the cave dwellers’ casual brutality, and blood that only appears when someone turns is chilling. Yet unmistakable warmth and affection flow beneath. There are wonderfully inventive sections, from Danielle’s clever split reality mushroom trip to a gloriously incongruous disco sequence. Impressively enormous puppets, directed by Finn Caldwell, resurrect ice age megafauna, and a puppet ‘baby’ is pleasingly uncanny. That said, the opening scene could be tighter, with frequent pauses occasionally lasting a beat too long. The well placed, realistically choreographed fight sequences could be ever so slightly sharper. And the front loaded blocking means actors disappear when they sit or lie. Overall, however, it’s fittingly daring.
Asaf Zohar’s composition and sound design create a richly immersive soundscape. Electronic beats, distant rumbles, startling thunderclaps and subtle cave reverb perfectly complement the action, landing with well-balanced precision. Andy Findon’s innocent and skilful flute line is a fitting final touch.
Anna Reid’s design is stunning. The set is full of hidden surprises, large and small. The final tableau feels like a museum exhibit… until human nature proves it can’t be constrained. A widening crack could push the world splintering metaphor even further, but the blend of modern and ancient elements is steeped in significance. Evelien Van Camp’s cleverly modern costumes are equally striking, forcing us to confront themes through a contemporary lens – though I initially wonder if they’re post-apocalyptic. Alex Fernandes’ lighting is superb, full of earthy realism cut with flashes of stark modernity. Caldwell’s puppetry design, co designed with Dulcie Best, is genuinely impressive.
The ensemble cast is excellent across the board. Annabel Smith’s ambiguously aged, utterly charming Lisa nails that blend of childlike curiosity and easy trust. Jacoba Williams charts Clare’s shifting worldview with precision, revealing the dark edge to Clare’s loyalty. Ami Tredrea’s Danielle delivers an impassioned final speech that gives me goosebumps, and makes me believe the leg injury is real. Peter Clements’ ‘Daddy’ is delightfully deranged, held in check by real menace. Jonny Khan’s Greg is wonderfully animated and naïve. Puppetry captain Scarlet Wilderink makes the creatures feel unnervingly alive: you feel baby’s mood changes and the elk’s strength drain away.
‘The Shitheads’ is a startling debut that grabs human nature by the antlers. Searching, disquieting and uncomfortably familiar, it’s a confronting watch that’s absolutely worth the journey.
THE SHITHEADS
Royal Court Theatre
Reviewed on 13th February 2026
by Hannah Bothelton
Photography by Camilla Greenwell
