★★★★

“the cast cycle through characters with impressive dynamism”

The memes are everywhere, making casual jokes about historical figures whose same-sex relationships were definitely just that of “close friends”. We’ve long known that recordings of myth and legend do not favour the LGBTQIA+ — even when we are represented, we’re often given stories of tragedy and pain, with unfavourable endings. Remythed, conceived and written by Joel Samuels and Roann Hassani McCloskey, of Bet’n Lev Theatre, seeks to balance those scales.

We’re welcomed into the space as three of the five cast members casually greet audience from the stage, beckoning them in, like hosts at a party. This invitation into the room isn’t one that we often see in live theatre and it certainly sets the tone for the entire show. Our introduction to the evening is one that evokes an intimate get-together, rather than a play — the final two cast members are actually seated amongst the audience and brought on with a bit of silliness. It sets us up for an evening where the cast will frequently sit amongst us, laugh with us, make us feel like we’re truly in this with them.

The cast then carry us through a series of ancient myths, beginning with that of Scheherezade, the storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights. Scheherezade spins her tales for an angry king, hoping to appease his wrath. Throughout the series of stories, the cast cycle through characters with impressive dynamism, able to slip from one character into another with ease. It’s shockingly easy to follow, given the breadth of the material, which only speaks further volumes of both the writing and the performances.

Remythed is staged incredibly simply. It’s easy to see why it tours so well — with virtually no set to speak of and no costume changes throughout, it does quite a lot with very little. The lighting design by Al Simpson shifts us through the various locations in a simple, but effective manner. Equally, the sound design by Annie May Fletcher adds that extra little flare of magic in all the places where it’s needed. One particular sequence, in which we hear a reimagining of the story of Lilith, Adam’s first wife, benefits hugely from a bit of sound wizardry. The entire cast are exceptional, but Lucy Roslyn in particular shines throughout, playing through so many different roles with such efficiency and heart that it’s almost dizzying.

Ultimately, Remythed is like a cup of tea and a warm blanket on a cold winter’s evening. It hugs you, invites you to feel some joy, gives you permission to be whoever it is you want to be. And couldn’t we all use a bit more of that right now?

FRAT

Old Red Lion Theatre

★★

“With some rewrites, this is a show that could easily shine.”

“He said/she said” is a conundrum that many have attempted, with varying success. And with the rise in right-wing rhetoric about traditional versus modern masculinity, these narratives have never been more fraught. Newcomer Max Allen’s Frat seeks to ask its audience — how far would you go to belong? In a post-#MeToo era, these topics are not just relevant, but desperately important. So why does it feel as though we never really tackle the issue?

Upon opening, we are plunged into complete darkness (a somewhat confusing choice from Lighting Designer Mason Delman) as we listen to Brent (Luke Stiles) shout at the pledges who are hoping to be offered full membership to the fraternity — to become brothers. When the lights return, we get a glimpse into the current goings-on in the fraternity house. Brent has recently been elected “Vice President External”, a position that Alex (Max Allen) clearly envies. We’re also introduced to Charles (Elliott Diner), the resident clown of the group, and Dexter, more frequently referred to as “Dex” (Will Hammond, an absolute stand-out in the cast), the token, slightly nerdy brother. They speak at length, often in strangely verbose prose, about the pledges they are currently considering for membership, the hazing those pledges will endure over the coming days, and most importantly, an upcoming mixer with other fraternities and sororities. Brent, it seems, has begun a rather risky flirtation with a sorority figurehead called Gabriella — it’s clear he wants to bring her as a date to the approaching party, but… she has a boyfriend. Or does she? We’re treated to several different narratives of the situation between them throughout the next forty-five minutes or so — until we go from “will they/won’t they”, to “did they/did he”.

What’s deeply frustrating about Frat is that it can’t quite find its feet over its sixty minutes of playing time — nor can the characters, which is no surprise given the shaky ground they’re treading. No one here seems to have any real consistency of character. Even Dex, the brother that you most expect to have something of a moral compass, waffles back and forth on his own principles in such a way that it could give you whiplash. In a disappointingly under-explored plot line, Dex becomes frustrated when a certain pledge is so thoroughly hazed that he ends up cold and pale on the floor of the fraternity’s basement. Dex looks for Brent, who is meant to be acting as Risk Manager at the party, but finds a drunk Alex instead. Dex comes in outraged, concerned about the pledge, but quickly gets sidetracked by gossip about his girlfriend. All concern for the boy on the floor, who likely needs medical attention, evaporates — and later on, we learn the pledge has been dismissed for being “high risk”. In fact, these “brothers” are so busy sniping, undercutting one another, that we struggle to care for them at all. The friendships they supposedly share just aren’t believable.

Perhaps this is why we don’t feel much when it all begins to fall apart in the final third of the play — because we haven’t been given enough reason to invest. It feels that the characters haven’t either. Moments that should reach emotional highs, inspire some fire in the characters, simply… don’t. The crescendo is surprisingly flat because the stakes just never felt that high to begin with. And the resolution itself feels unrealistic, given what we all know about how these situations usually resolve in the real world.

With all that said, the premise is a strong one, and one worth exploring. With some rewrites, this is a show that could easily shine. But right now, it feels like the fraternity floor, just after a party — incredibly sticky.

REMYTHED

King’s Head Theatre

★★★★

“the cast cycle through characters with impressive dynamism”

REMYTHED

King’s Head Theatre

Reviewed on 9th May 2025

by Stacey Cullen

Photography by Ali Wright

Previously reviewed at this venue:

REMYTHED

REMYTHED

REMYTHED

FRAT

Old Red Lion Theatre

★★

“With some rewrites, this is a show that could easily shine.”

FRAT

Old Red Lion Theatre

Reviewed on 7th May 2025

by Stacey Cullen

Photography by Madeleine Bloxam

Previously reviewed at this venue:

FRAT

FRAT

FRAT

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