What’s The Trade – White Bear Theatre, Kennington

Writer: Charlie Howard
Director: Esalan Gates

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Punchy, Pacey, Power Shifts“

5 / 5

Sarah is fed up with typical ‘finance bro’ behaviour, grateful and eager in her new role in HR to make a difference and stamp out the toxic masculinity culture that has embedded its way into the office. James, a thriving FX trader with a healthy bonus on the way, is the first in her firing line, but he isn’t prepared to go down without a fight, in this tense game of cat and mouse.

James (Charlie Howard) is frustrated at being summoned to the HR department, belittling the meeting as unimportant and unnecessary, his behaviour no different to anyone else on the floor. His colleague Scarlett, a junior trader under his wing, has quit suddenly, unexpectedly and without reason, subsequently raising questions about his conduct at client dinners and on private WhatsApp groups. Sarah (Maire McGovern) is determined to get to the bottom of it, probing every aspect of his career, upbringing and lifestyle in an attempt to gain enough intel to get rid of him, but she’s anxious her nerves will get the better of her and derail the investigation.

Charlie Howard’s brilliantly intense two-hander is completely gripping right from the outset. The two characters are extremely well written – James is arrogant and patronising, a stereotypical ‘male trader’, with a manipulatively charming personality amidst his flaws. There are some enjoyable moments where he shows vulnerability, not forgiving him for his behaviour, but at least giving the audience some insight as to why he is the way he is. Sarah on the other hand, initially comes across cold and unyielding, but she isn’t just shown as a bullish, hardened woman, she softens at points, and as much as she is playing the game, there’s still an obviously human element to her interactions, which makes her more likeable as the conversations play out. McGovern and Howard portray their characters fantastically, every flippant facial expression perfectly executed, and their mannerisms down to a tee to make them wholeheartedly believable.

Howard and director Esalan Gates’ ensure that the pace is constantly changing, with the unrelenting tension between the two characters constantly spiking as they both take turns in disarming each other, then finding neutral ground and settling momentarily, before another charged conversation that ramps the intensity back up again once more. The power shifts constantly and quickly, with both having the upper hand at varying points, their mind games and personality traits expertly showcased. The cleverly layered interactions build up, before the exciting, fast-paced final scenes that keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The occasional atmospheric music in between scenes works perfectly, as does the stark white lighting that exacerbates the uncomfortable nature of their meeting. The entire production is excellently done and impressively engaging.

If you’re a fan of BBC’s ‘Industry’, have worked in corporate finance jobs, or you just love punchy, pacey, character driven writing, masterful performances and energised interactions then this is definitely not one to miss.

Runs until 20th December 2025