★★★★★

“fills the audience with joy, curiosity, and genuine wonder”

Red reimagines the familiar tale of Little Red Riding Hood, inviting us to dig deeper into the grey areas between villain and hero. Supported by the passion of over 200 performers, this vast, ambitious musical adaptation redefines the story as an exploration of identity, perception, and the courage it takes to truly see beyond the obvious.

Directed by Michael Bossisse, Bethany Hamlin, Cara McInanny and Jonny Morton, Red becomes a vibrant quest of self-discovery: a teenage girl, angry at the world yet unknowingly supported by it, embarks on an unexpected journey with her siblings. Along the way she learns that ancient myths may hold more truth – and more lessons – than she ever imagined.

The writers, Dave Carey, Ashley Driver and Sebastian Ross, deliver a wholehearted, humorous script that bursts with emotional truth and fills the audience with joy, curiosity, and genuine wonder. This is a grand, communal celebration of what it means to be together, to be different, and to belong.

From the moment the show begins, the stage welcomes us into an inclusive performance world, with main characters and actors interpreting in sign language. What initially appears to be a simple set reveals itself as a transformative marvel: first a train, then a bustling village, then elegant dining halls and winding pathways. Andrew Caddies’ combined set and lighting design is magical – producing images that feel both fairytale and otherworldly. The stage doesn’t just change, it “shape-shifts”.

Emma Gale’s beautifully crafted costumes carry us seamlessly between these worlds. Despite the rapid pace of the show, transitions appear effortless; the costumes seem to breathe with the story, adapting to every shift in tone and place.

In every scene, we witness breathtaking ensemble dance and movement pieces. Everywhere you look, there is another story unfolding, another set of eyes drawing you deeper into the world. How many people can you fit on a stage dancing? At Chickenshed, the answer is always: more. And the more there are, the more astonishing it becomes. Yet above all the spectacle, the most exceptional moment of the production is witnessing the entire ensemble becoming one moving body – a single organism pulsing with unity, purpose and heart. When the ensemble moves, the whole theatre breathes with it.

The production features a fully original score, performed live onstage. Under the musical direction of Dave Carey and Phil Haines, the music becomes the heartbeat of the show – magical, lyrical, and deeply connected to everyday life with multiple genres. Each song fits into the narrative like a perfect piece of Lego, building the world one note at a time.

The cast’s energy is boundless. Every performer, from lead to ensemble, gives everything – hearts open, souls shining, ready to perform not just for the audience at Chickenshed, but for the world.

While it’s impossible to single out only a few, standouts include Grandma (Cara McInanny) with her unhinged, fearless commitment; the Wolf (Michael Bossisse), whose warm and effortless acting brings new layers to the iconic figure; Chester the Butler (Sebastian Ross), who charms with perfect comedic timing; and one of the signers, Mouse O’Hehir, whose quirky, magnetic presence and beautiful movement add a captivating extra dimension.

Red holds you from start to finish. It’s a story about the power of unity, the search for authenticity, and the way we discover ourselves through the support of others. Lush with imagery, bursting with imagination, energy and heart – it’s a must-see show made by many, for many, and about all of “us”.

MAYBE I SHOULD STOP

Drayton Arms Theatre

★★★★

“striking, resonant, and beautifully performed”

The production welcomes us with an empty chair reminiscent of the Tube, newspapers on it, and white sheets hanging from the ceiling – a subtly evocative set designed by Emily King. A familiar playlist – indie rock blended with a touch of disco – drifts through the space. It’s the soundtrack of a year, of a life; instantly recognisable. A sense of familiarity settles over the room.

Written and performed by Oscar Brudenall-Jones, this one-man show invites us into the landscape of grief, guiding us through its seven stages as we accompany Aaron, our protagonist, on his train journey.

Aaron has stolen his father’s ashes, tucked into a Celebrations box, and is determined to take them to Cornwall, to scatter them in the sea at a place filled with their shared memories. Aaron is an entertainer by trade and by temperament: a vibrant presence brought to life through Brudenall-Jones’s quickfire impressions of both famous and obscure figures. This performer’s persona becomes a kind of refuge for Aaron, a protective shell he slips into whenever the emotional terrain becomes difficult to face. The narrative unfolds entirely on trains bound for Cornwall, a quietly powerful symbol of movement and transition. As Aaron travels, the stages of grief emerge through memories, re-enactments, and unexpected events along the way.

Under Esalan Gates’ direction, the piece employs a variety of theatrical techniques to enrich the storytelling. The hanging sheets are used inventively: at moments they become characters, at others a landscape, or even a silhouette through which new personas emerge. It’s an engaging, imaginative design choice that helps sustain energy and focus in a demanding solo performance. Lighting by Conor Costelloe, smoothly shifts from bright to shadowy, sometimes mirroring Aaron’s internal state, other times illuminating the turbulence he tries to contain.

Brudenall-Jones does a remarkable job maintaining pace and drawing us into Aaron’s imaginative world. At first, there is a stark distinction between his outward showmanship – his armour – and the tender, vulnerable self beneath it. As the journey progresses, these two selves begin to converge; the emotions he has been avoiding swell and can no longer be concealed.

At times the emotional beats are delivered quite explicitly, and in the early moments especially, a touch more space for audience interpretation might have heightened the impact.

The message of the piece lands with clarity, expressed through a rich mix of anecdotes, impersonations, and heartfelt storytelling that reveal the complexity of his character. Still, I found myself wanting to know more about Aaron’s father. Although the emotional arc is strongly communicated, the texture of their relationship, and the ways his father shaped him, felt only lightly sketched. The focus leans heavily into Aaron’s personality, sometimes spreading itself across so many stories and jokes that the central emotional thread risks thinning.

Where the show truly shines is in its moments of raw vulnerability, which are striking, resonant, and beautifully performed. The references to society, the modern world, and Covid-19 are thoughtful and well-woven, revealing a writer-performer with much to say and real talent in saying it. With a touch more simplicity in places, particularly in balancing the humour with the heart of the father-son bond, the piece might achieve an even deeper emotional coherence.

Even so, Maybe I Should Stop is a compelling, inventive exploration of grief, memory, and the winding routes we take to say goodbye.

Tag Archives: NASIA NTALLA

RED

★★★★★

Chickenshed Theatre

RED

Chickenshed Theatre

★★★★★

“fills the audience with joy, curiosity, and genuine wonder”

RED

Chickenshed Theatre

Reviewed on 27th November 2025

by Nasia Ntalla

Photography by Mark Field

Previously reviewed by Nasia:

MAYBE I SHOULD STOP | ★★★★ | DRAYTON ARMS | November 2025

DEATH BELLES | ★★★½ | OLD RED LION THEATRE | October 2025

Red

Red

Red

MAYBE I SHOULD STOP

★★★★

Drayton Arms Theatre

MAYBE I SHOULD STOP

Drayton Arms Theatre

★★★★

“striking, resonant, and beautifully performed”