The Chaos That Has Been And Will No Doubt Return – Southwark Playhouse, Borough

Writer: Sam Edmunds
Directors: Sam Edmunds & Vikesh Godhwani

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Loud & Lively“

4.5 / 5

Voice and Lewis have lived their whole lives in Luton – dismissing the claims of it being ‘the worst place to live’ by people who have barely set foot in the area, let alone lived and breathed it. They love the sense of community, the varied tapestry of individuals from all walks of life, meshing together to create a place, at least to Voice and Lewis, that feels like home.

Although Voice (Nathaniel Christian) and Lewis (Elan Butler) aren’t financially well-off, they are rich in friendship and positivity, their touching and inspiring bromance a wonderful depiction of male friendships. They encourage each other to be better and aim higher, give words of wisdom when the other feels lost and are constantly firing banter back and forth between each other. Set across the course of one night, the pair are pumped up to attend Lakesha’s (Leanne Henlon) birthday, which is proving to be the house party of the year. Fake Ralphies on, alcohol secured, and Sean Paul blasting over the speaker to get them in the mood, they’re ready to go, but a run-in with a local gang threatens to derail not just their evening, but the rest of their lives.

Sam Edmund’s script is loud, lively and full of energy, executed brilliantly by the talented cast. The storyline is packed with funny moments and relatable teenage interactions, their depiction of youthful excitement a joy to watch. Christian is a fantastic narrator, his distinctive, confident persona immediately engaging the audience into their world. Butler and Henlon work alongside each other perfectly, the three performers swiftly transforming into a variety of characters, seamlessly moving around the set and easily delivering both the humour and poignancy perfectly. The set (Rob Miles) is impeccable – at first glance, a simple, yet defining brick wall, but frequently morphing into a variety of different set changes, from a local shop to a house party, it’s creative and inspired, really elevating the show as a whole.

This energetic production is constant and chaotic (as per the title!), with barely a moments rest within the 80 minute runtime. At points, the volume and speedy tempo could be taken down a notch, just to help some of the moments land and interactions be more identifiable, as well as to add a variety of pacing to give some relief. But overall, the show is hard to fault, with it’s focus on positivity especially, a real breath of fresh air. The descriptive narrative, intricate set design and committed cast makes the entire show come alive, and grip you from beginning to end.

Runs until 27th September 2025