A whole play, by Henry Roberts, centred on a cheating unlikable boyfriend (Stefan Race) cruising for sex with strangers in dirty public toilets of London, delivered with such a powerful performance from Race that the show passed in a blur of beautiful physical movement and text delivered like spoken word.
Two companies Red Ladder and Silent Uproar have brought Henry Roberts play to life with a team of creative individuals who have made the mundane and ugly a work of art. Character M is struggling with life, not able to find a job, his girlfriend by contrast is being given another promotion, struggling with his sexuality and place in life he takes relief by sneaking out to cruise public toilets around the London underground for sexual favours with strangers.
Cheating and putting his girlfriends health at risk too this character should be completely unlikeable, but Race’s performance is captivating, his movement appears liquid as he rolls across the set, a metal bin and bus bench, weaves around the bars of the bus stop, stopping to deftly land seated atop of the bin or across the bench, cat like movements for a character that is often referred to as ‘pup’ by his girlfriend. Movement director Chris Brown must have had a dream working with an actor with such strong physical capabilities in movement.
The vulnerability of the character was not overplayed. Cheryl Martin’s direction delivers punch after punch; the swiftness of the action flows from beginning to end of the production. There is no lingering after the moment of violence that occurs in the toilets with the businessman, M escapes and deals with the consequences of having to go for a health check, then the tension of waiting for his results. I really enjoyed Martin’s powerful story telling.
As M waits for his results, he is in state of anxious panic, there is a thumping sound score denotes a racing heartbeat as the scene comes to a dramatic climax. Mark Melville’s sound design compliments the piece throughout, but the thumping heartbeat during the results waiting was a standout moment for its effectiveness, it had a palpable effect on its audience.
The set comprised of a bus stop shelter with two fluorescent lights, screens for the back walls of the bus stop projecting abstract grimy images relating to the scenes we were in, with a constant smattering of rain across. Combination of Adam Foley’s lighting and video design and Cory Shipp’s set and costume design made for a set worthy of being an art installation itself, compelling but not distracting from the actor’s performance. Momentary uses of colourful side lights and LEDs cast colourful shadows across Race’s face to give another dimension to feelings of elation and escapism from his mundane world.
A stunning performance delivered by an amazing team of creative people. The level of detail in performance and production needs to be appreciated by as wide an audience as possible. Would highly recommend to theatre, physical theatre and poetry lovers, this will appeal to a wide theatre going audience.
Reviewer: Kerry Ely
On – 16/10/2026
