This production presents thought-provoking themes of identity, creative realisation and the promise of love whilst dealing with extraordinary challenges through drama and music in the form of a rock opera. Told through the lives of five young university students who are thrown together during the Covid-19 outbreak, it blends multiple genres with a psychedelic rock score.
The students comprise of Deacon (George Fragakis), a struggling musician with anxiety and OCD who is in his final year of university, Bonzo, (Joel Diamond), a geeky drummer who has ADHD and autism challenges and a dependency on alcohol and drugs, Harley (Emily Guilfoyle), a visual artist in her early 20s with personal issues, Logo (Tom Foley), an unsavoury drug dealer and young hippie Regan (Lauren Dwyer), the peacekeeper and mediator of the group.
The story explores important themes such as neurodiversity, mental health, addiction and the emotions felt during isolation whilst also dealing with a threatening pandemic and the challenges of experiencing grief and love at a young age.
The small theatre housing approximately 80 seats is ideal for this intensive, thought provoking story. The set remained constant throughout depicting the interior of a student flat with well-worn, shabby furniture and trappings. A projection screen at the backdrop displayed texts from the students mobile phones along with headlines from newspapers plus psychedelic images. Three-piece Liverpool alt-rock band, Tripwire, (whose sound has been influenced by Queens of the Stone Age and Deftones) consisting of Eddie Min (guitar), Luke Dolphin (bass guitar) and Toby Fletcher (drums) were back of stage throughout accompanying the actors who sang 11 original rock songs composed by Writer/Lyricist Eddie Min, a 26-year-old California-born graduate of Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) whose concept for the show led to this notable production.
The five young actors performed superbly, and their vocal talents excelled. Emotions were at a high during their passionate portrayals, and the audience consisting mainly of student-age theatre/rock music lovers, showed their appreciation at the interval recess and the final scene. This show will appeal to lovers of theatre, rock and all things psychological and dystopian. Guitarists Min and Dolphin showcased their talents, performing guitar solos and duets during some of the songs.
Director Luke Sookdeo, who recently won Best Director at the Liverpool Fringe 2025 and Costume and Set Designer, Joe Yates are to be commended for their contributions to this captivating production.
This show delivers an ambitious script which incorporates strong language and drug use themes.
The production was staged on three nights on 24th, 25th and 26th October 2025.
Eddie Min’s band Tripwire is featured on Instagram.
Reviewer – Anne Pritchard
On – 26.10.2025
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