Writer: George Ryder & Brodie Husband
Director: Emily Prosser-Davies
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Intriguing“
4 / 5
It’s officially the start of a new University term. Freshers are slowly arriving at their accommodation and meeting their new flatmates, sussing out everyone’s vibe and locking in friendships that they hope will last them until graduation. For Charlotte and her fellow housemates, however, settling into student life comes with an unsettling presence at the centre of their flat – a mysteriously locked door that no-one can open.
Charlotte (Katie Emanuel) is bright-eyed and very eager to get to know everyone, University a huge leap from her strict religious upbringing at home, but despite the temptation of partying, she’s committed to knuckling down with her studies. The same definitely can’t be said for Henry (Brodie Husband) and Luke (George Ryder) who are there ultimately for the social experience – drinking, drugs and girls being at the top of their agenda. Bex (Emily Dilworth) is glad to have escaped her controlling ex, and enjoying her blossoming flirty friendship with Luke, while Kane (Ollie J Edwards) is quite happy with his own company, replacing booze and wild nights out with quiet movie nights indoors. Although they don’t really have too much in common, they all get along well enough, after all – everyone’s harmless, right?
Ryder and Husband have crafted a brilliantly intriguing narrative, that captures the contrasting personalities of the characters very well. The first half of the show mainly focuses on getting to know the five flatmates, their varying struggles and inter-personal relationships. The lighthearted comedy deftly balances out the various layers of simmering tension, with the constant underlying mystery of the unopened, locked door in their flat, as well as the various other plot-threads such as Bex’s ex, Henry’s insecurities and Luke’s anger. It builds up the mystery of what could be behind the door well, but the surreal twist in the latter half of the show doesn’t quite fit with the otherwise believable, relatable set up.
As the door becomes more of a focal point, it quickly transitions into what feels like a completely different play, morphing into something a lot darker and more obscure than any of the storyline previously points to. That being said, the show still remains a good watch, and is impressively well executed despite the reveal being a bit random and unbelievable. If there could be a less abrupt tonal shift into the twist, it could help ease the audience into the narrative switch better, and allow the weight of the remaining storyline to become more impactful.
The cast do an excellent job of creating a convincing fly on the wall atmosphere. Conversations flow with an easy, natural rhythm, and they remain constantly responsive to one another, reacting subtly even when not at the centre of the dialogue. Their attention to these small details helps to ground the earlier scenes with recognisable realism, and adding a layer of authenticity to the flatmates, that ultimately form the heart of the production.
Runs until 7th March 2026
RatedReviewed 
This was a good Play, covering what University life is supposedly like. All the characters were played well by the five Actors. I felt it dragged on a bit though.
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