★★★½

“a piece that confronts, questions and refuses to look away”

Set in Lewisham, where we are starkly reminded that 461 children currently live without a family home, Lin Coghlan’s well-crafted play about care and the care system is a quietly devastating and thought provoking piece of theatre.

Robbie (played by Joseph Clark) and Cel (Tabitha Detriot) are siblings who have grown up in different placements, different addresses and with different versions of stability, yet always manage to find their way back to one another. Cel dreams of university; Robbie longs for something simpler and more profound – the chance for them to finally live together in one place.

Jim Pope’s direction makes the most of Sophie Jump’s simple but inventive set design, where movable screens create shifting environments that mirror the instability of the siblings’ lives. Jump’s costumes extend the largely monochrome palette, with Robbie’s green standing out as a colour signalling safety, growth and the fragile hope he clings to.

There is little colour in the lives of those around them as we watch the slow motion car crash of their circumstances unfold. Robbie is growing, nearly eighteen, approaching the cliff edge where legal responsibility ends and support abruptly changes, leaving him, as well as those trying to help, with an immense challenge to navigate.

Alice Selwyn is the standout performer for me. Understated yet compelling as the overworked but deeply committed personal adviser Mrs Bosely, she brings a palpable desperation to make a broken system function for Robbie. Her performance draws out the layers and quiet heartbreak embedded in Coghlan’s script.

The rest of the cast deliver solid work, with Romeo Mika offering nimble multi role performances, including Robbie’s best, and only friend, Miko. At times I longed for a little more energy, edge and volatility to fully expose the emotional ambivalence within the characters, but the performances remain engaging and sincere.

The anthropomorphism of a young man interpreting the world through the behaviour of birds could have been explored a little more, yet Flock remains an honest, grounded portrayal shaped through workshops with those who have directly experienced the care system. As a result, it stands as a fine example of relatable, socially conscious theatre.

PlayingON’s production deserves applause for being a play about something. It’s a piece that confronts, questions and refuses to look away. It feels perfectly placed within the fringe circuit, where such experimentation and challenge should be given room to breathe. Judging by the full house at the Jack Studio, audiences are more than ready to listen.

JACK AND HIS GIANT STALK

Brick Lane Music Hall

★★★★

“delightfully chaotic”

February may be looming, but there’s still time to catch Brick Lane Music Hall’s bright and bawdy adult panto, ‘Jack and His Giant Stalk’. Paired with a hearty meal and classic music hall camaraderie, it’s a memorable antidote to the winter blues.

Jack, his mother Dame Fanny and his brother Willy are suddenly skint when local baddies, Poison Ivy and Ophelia Loosebottom, raise the rents. Luckily, the Spirit of the Beans – a booze loving good fairy – turns their cow Daisy into a singing sensation to raise the cash. But the baddies steal the money and kidnap their friends. Can Jack save the day and stop the eviction? Time to climb his giant stalk and find out.

Writer director Lucy Hayes’ script is delightfully chaotic. The plot makes little narrative sense, with ironically low stakes, abandoned arcs and unexplained age gaps – but who’s at a panto for logic? What Hayes nails is an undeniable sense of joy, crammed with more double entendres than you can shake a stalk at, even if the Viagra references are a touch persistent. It’s tight and pacy with plenty of physical silliness, leaving the whole room roaring.

Hayes’ direction keeps the energy high, with a driving pace that gives even throwaway ad libs punch. Off script detours add welcome tension, and larger than life characters stay grounded through genuine audience connection. That said, Act 2 loses a little steam, weighed down by a glut of songs without much supporting plot, and there’s a lot of screaming. Jordan Langford’s cheeky, energetic choreography lifts the scenes, with ‘If I Weren’t In Panto’ delivering a standout burst of escalating slapstick. Overall, it’s a slick production, confidently handled by a well drilled cast.

Music Director Scott Hayes’ high energy score is packed with familiar tunes, music hall style numbers and audience singalongs. The harmonies are a highlight, particularly Jill, Poison Ivy and Ophelia’s trio, and Jack Pallister’s parody lyrics are playful without veering into outright farce (mooing aside). The second act could stand to lose a song or two to keep things tight, but the band – Hayes, Martin Layzell and Andy Pook – provide a talented, rock solid anchor.

Zara Kattan’s production design brings the show to life. Set designer Chris Floyd, with assistant Shannon Topliss, conjure charming hand painted scenes and make smart use of a compact stage, with the occasional stubborn curtain only adding to the home grown charm. Kevin Roach’s bold lighting, with candy coloured washes, roaming spotlights and a full spin glitter ball suits the panto spirit perfectly. Lewis Voigtlander O’Brien’s sound design offers a mostly clear mix, with voices cutting through and sound effects landing cleanly. A rogue mic is handled smoothly by cast and crew alike. Costumes by Syldon Costumes and Frank Kershaw are a delight, with the Dame debuting a new, increasingly outrageous look each scene, and Jill’s intricately crafted orange dress shining despite its brief appearance. Sue Pedersen’s hair and wig work ties it all together, from innocent curls to the Dame’s increasingly extravagant styles.

The ensemble cast has real panto presence: larger than life without caricature, consistently slick, with delightfully reactive humour and just the right dose of camp. Lucy Reed’s Daisy the Cow is a delight, complete with soaring belt, while Charlotte Fage’s Poison Ivy makes a wonderfully redeemable villain with a powerhouse voice. Andrew Robley’s Dame Fanny brings seasoned poise and razor sharp reactions to the off script chaos. The standout, though, is Vincent Hayes – MBE and Brick Lane’s CEO – whose twinkling turn as Willy blends confident stagecraft, commanding vocals and spontaneous mischief that feels like pure stage magic.

Just like those magic beans, ‘Jack and His Giant Stalk’ proves far greater than the sum of its parts. With a fabulous cast, slick delivery and iconic setting, this adult panto offers a highly entertaining and memorable night out.

Tag Archives: Lucy Hayes

FLOCK

★★★½

Jack Studio Theatre

FLOCK

Jack Studio Theatre

★★★½

“a piece that confronts, questions and refuses to look away”

FLOCK

Jack Studio Theatre

Reviewed on 1st October 2026

by Robert West

Photography by Lucy Hayes

FLOCK

FLOCK

FLOCK

JACK AND HIS GIANT STALK

★★★★

Brick Lane Music Hall

JACK AND HIS GIANT STALK

Brick Lane Music Hall

★★★★

“delightfully chaotic”