Review: HOLE! (Soho Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Back in 2023, the world went crazy for “Barbenheimer”, a cultural event and online phenomenon whereby people saw the movies Barbie and Oppenheimer back-to-back, despite their wildly different tone and style. Fast forward three years and I attempted the stage equivalent of that with two shows back-to-back at Soho Theatre. Starting with Hit Machine and swiftly following it up with HOLE!, I named this double “Hit ma hole”, and if that might be a bit too filthy for you, just wait until you dive further into HOLE!. Coming to London following an acclaimed run in Edinburgh last year, I had heard incredible things about this rather unique show, but would it be able to live up to the hype and fill a hole, or would the whole thing be full of too many holes and feel wholly incomplete?

If you haven’t got it yet, this show is called HOLE!. ”But what is hole?” I hear you cry. It describes itself as an epic love story set in the apocalyptic aftermath of The Great Sucking, and that should give you an idea of the kind of show to expect. That said, nothing will prepare you for the wonders of this 80 minute romp, and nor should they. A religious sect in Nebraska has had a message from God, demanding that everyone wear a butt plug at all times to avoid being sucked up to burn on the face of the sun. A common concern for us all, understandably. The ridiculous request is met with some scepticism, with some outright refusing, others initially complying before suffering doubts after nothing happens… until it does. When The Great Sucking occurs, it is down to two boys to find a way to end the apocalypse by going on an adventure out of their town, but have they been told the entire truth, what is the real reason for The Great Sucking and where does everyone go once they have been sucked?

Written and performed by Jake Brasch and Nadja Leonhard-Hooper, HOLE! is a quirky way of storytelling with both performers standing behind a rather epic desk. Amplifying the levels of creativity, this desk contains every instrument, prop and random object that will be used to bring the story to life through a uniquely inventive use of sound. This adds to the enjoyment of the story with the unexpected way everyday items are used to recreate recognisable noises perfectly adding to the tongue-in-cheek cough nature of the show.

It is the writing that is the real star of the show, however. You may think 80 minutes of a rather near-the-knuckle story might get a bit tiresome or lose its humour, but you would be completely wrong. The tone is set early on with the discovery of the importance of butt-plugs, and this is only the beginning. The jokes never wear thin or run out, nor are they particularly low-hanging fruit, with every easy and groanworthy hole gag saved for this review instead. The creativity from Brasch and Leonhard-Hooper is joyful to witness, as is their knack for comedy. This is a show that is frequently funny, with riotous laughter heard from the audience consistently. What adds to the writing, however, is its message. At its heart, this is a love story, where two people don’t just discover their feelings for each other, but also come to terms with their own identity and sexuality. Carrying a message of acceptance, I didn’t expect HOLE! to be so beautiful, but what a beautiful HOLE this is. There is also an argument to be had about how blindly those who want to believe can follow even the most absurd of requests with an obvious comparison to the story in The Book of Mormon, but that might be a bit deep for this particular review, and if we are told to use a buttplug to save our souls, I’m sure I’ve heard worse.

It isn’t just the writing of HOLE! that impresses - it is the performance as well. There is such a likeable and charming quality of both Brasch and Leonhard-Hooper, and the way they play off of each other as they morph into multiple characters makes it easier to fall in love with this show. The way they can hold attention and fill a stage without ever leaving their desk is a testament to their own genius, and their talent extends through their performance in every sense, be it vocally, comedically or their knack for storytelling. Though this is a heavily polished production, the eternal threat of chaos made it feel more spontaneous and raw than it actually is, with one moment involving a rogue prop eliciting an unprompted and very real reaction. Again, this only added to my enjoyment of the show. I want to know I am in safe hands when I see a show, but I also want to find that human connection and that tease of the person underneath the character, even if the performers have huge holes styled into their hair. 

Multiple people told me I would love this HOLE! and they weren’t wrong. This is a show unlike anything I have ever seen before, and I found myself as enraptured as any show I have ever seen about the rapture. Sometimes you just want to lose yourself in a silly show that puts a big grin on your face, and HOLE! does just that with ease. All in all, my “Hit ma hole” double was a huge success as I enjoyed two extremely different but equally fantastic show. If Hit Machine edged the audience, HOLE! ensured we left with a satisfying climax, in a wholly enjoyable production with no instruments needed to plug up the holes.

HOLE! plays at Soho Theatre until 1st August and then returns to the Edinburgh fringe from 5th - 30th August. Tickets at sohotheatre.com and edfringe.com

Photos by Jennifer Forward-Hayter