R.O.I (RETURN ON INVESTMENT)

Hampstead Theatre

★★★★

“enough twists to match those of a corporate knife in the back”

There are few tales of corporate hubris to match that of Theranos; how wide-eyed Elizabeth Holmes – now jailed – conned millions from seasoned investors with the promise of a pin-prick diagnosis that never worked.

It was a potent fable of utopian optimism and human greed.

R.O.I. (Return on Investment) follows in that bloodline, but writer Aaron Loeb declares this a post-Theranos piece, not least because the world-changing medical advances of PreCure appear to work.

Loeb himself used to live in the San Francisco Bay area and is a gaming entrepreneur, so he tackles his subject – the hollow twang of venture capitalism – with an authentic curiosity.

The prospect of curing cancer and ending Alzheimer’s may hold the hope of legacy but – as grizzled veteran of the internet boom Paul Melrose declares – “It is never, ever bigger than the money.”

He is mentoring his “work-daughter” and partner May Lee (precision engineered by Millicent Wong) and between them they represent different eras of the tech boom. May has a millennial sense of impact and purpose. Melrose (a charismatic and wry Lloyd Owen) just wants to win. He argues that “the only way to fix this world is to make it profitable to do so”.

PreCure is the brainchild of evangelical Willa McGovern (a wily Letty Thomas) who begins the piece fumbling a set of handwritten pitch cards but quickly has May and Melrose riding on the back of a billion-dollar unicorn.

The scene is set then for a generational battle, about values, about private funds and public health, about the wider purpose of capitalism. But the play fidgets: it doesn’t like these genre restrictions and wants more.

To that end, Willa reveals a much darker side.

With a handbrake screech, she offers some radical views and indulges in some wild conspiracy theories that prove an existential challenge to the three-way relationship.

This reveal demands a leap of faith not only from May and Melrose but from the audience as well. We need to be assured Loeb knows where he’s going with this.

Truth be told, it’s unclear for a time.

Indeed, there is a degree of preposterous overreach in scenes where the threesome reveal dastardly truths about each other during a very public hearing before Congress.

But, ultimately, Loeb lands it, courtesy of a production that is confident, exuberant and packed with ideas. If high stakes corporate skulduggery is your thing, you’ll take it in your stride.

To assist, designer Rosie Elnile has created a slick set with digital backdrops and neat gadgetry, while director Chelsea Walker keeps the pace brisk.

The cast is accomplished, albeit working with characters that function largely as cyphers. The storytelling, however, supplies enough twists to match those of a corporate knife in the back.

R.O.I (RETURN ON INVESTMENT)

Hampstead Theatre

Reviewed on 16th March 2026

by Giles Broadbent

Photography by Marc Brenner

R.O.I.

★★★

“blends stand up and storytelling into a hilarious, cohesive whole”

How do you survive losing the love of your life? Comedian Sam Morrison’s answer is laughter. His one-person show, ‘Sugar Daddy’, turns grief into big-hearted, belly-laughing comedy, even if it never gets past the denial phase.

Sam Morrison’s had a hellish few years. The love of his life tragically dies in the pandemic, he’s diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and to top it off, he’s attacked by seagulls. His coping strategy? Turn it into cathartic theatre! Though try as they may, his grief counsellor can’t get him to sit in his feelings for long.

Morrison’s set blends stand up and storytelling into a hilarious, cohesive whole. His whimsical yet biting style skewers everything from death to diabetes to being grateful your plus sized partner has ashes to spare. The laughs are big, interleaving with cycles of reflection which cleverly mirror the ebb and flow of grief. It’s great strength is the balance of humour and emotion, really connecting with the audience in deeper moments. But there’s a real snag: every time things get vulnerable, Morrison pulls back. This happens repeatedly and the show ends without clear progression or payoff. Perhaps it’s an honest glimpse into grief’s open endedness? But as a show it never quite opens up, leaving it feeling a little stuck. Plus, the number of cycles makes time harder to track, and the grief counsellor feels underdeveloped.

That said, Morrison is undeniably funny, owning the room with sharp timing and fearless crowd work. He connects effortlessly with the audience, ad-libbing with impressive ease – at one point he warmly welcomes a late arriving silver fox while blanking their younger companion, bringing the house down. In full flow, he’s a breathless delight, before easing into more emotional beats. Though the transitions could be slicker in places, Morrison clearly knows how to command a stage.

Amrou Al Kadhi’s assured direction steers the show with aplomb, weaving in theatrical flourishes that lift the stand up and drive the narrative. The energy rises and falls naturally, and the pacing matches the emotional tone. Though the cycles could use further shaping to clarify the narrative and build emotional momentum, overall the staging lands with flair.

Hugo Dodsworth’s set summons a beach house with a sweep of gauzy curtains, complete with decking, dune grass and playful hints of what’s to come. A pew like row of chairs, complete with Bibles, comes into its own. Chuma Emembolu’s lighting tracks the show’s emotional shifts with precision, peaking in a striking moment in ITU. Slick transitions keep everything flowing confidently. Dodsworth’s video design has some standout moments, with demonically deranged seagulls and a darkly ironic death scene. Stylist Gabrielle Vazquez gives Morrison a polished lost boy look, pairing a simple vest and shorts with a glitzy brooch and chic scarf.

‘Sugar Daddy’ is a show about feeling lost which – perhaps fittingly – feels a little lost itself. But Morrison’s barbed jokes, incisive style and commanding stage presence make it well worth a watch.

Tag Archives: theatre

R.O.I (RETURN ON INVESTMENT)

★★★★

Hampstead Theatre

R.O.I (RETURN ON INVESTMENT)

Hampstead Theatre

★★★★

“enough twists to match those of a corporate knife in the back”