Flashbang – Greenwich Theatre, Greenwich

Writer: James Lewis
Director: David Brady

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Fast-Paced & Anecdotal“

3 / 5

Andy, Deano, Jason, Mikey and Ryan were inseparable ever since they formed a gang in primary school. Growing up together they were there for each other through thick and thin, championing each other when there was good news, and consoling when there was bad.

So when a freak, horrific accident snatches Mikey from them forever, their group will never be the same again. Grief hits them all differently, their bond remains close, but the navigation of losing a loved one and adapting to the new way of life without them becomes the focal point of their friendship. They’re all eager to do Mikey’s memory proud, but are still picking up the pieces from that one fateful night.

James Lewis’ Flashbang takes an interesting approach to telling the story – using individual anecdotal monologues to recount each memory and event. It starts with a light-hearted approach, the group of lads in their ‘Generic FC’ football shirts reminiscing about their friendship and introducing their characters. It’s an enjoyable enough beginning, though none of the characters themselves are particularly interesting, stereotypical in nature with the ladies man, the music lover, the sporty one etc. This, along with their personalities being told to you, rather than shown, makes it somewhat hard to connect with them on a deeper level.

The storyline whizzes through various different moments in their lives, from their school days, relationships, partying together, and suddenly, the moment Mikey has a fatal accident. The event comes relatively out of nowhere (though, of course, you’re expecting something from the blurb), and it’s a lot more extreme than expected! The quick, intense delivery of the moment fits well with the event itself, shocking, sudden and solemn. No time is wasted, and with very little time spent on the accident, they are already moving on to the aftermath, which is the main draw of the production, and where interest starts to really take hold. The four performers (Alex Hill, Charlie Jobe, Haydn Watts, Ben Watts) extract the tenderness and emotion well, with Ryan’s (Alex Hill) moment of sadness in the shower particularly touching and believable. The funeral scene of the four together is also an impactful moment, that successfully hammers home the emotion between them all.

Although I personally would have preferred seeing the story rather than hearing it, in flashing through each of the snippet stories, means that by the end of the show you get a well-rounded picture of the friends and how they’ve been affected by loss, how they’re managing their mental health and their endearing connection as they grieve together.

Runs until 31st January 2026