Review: Jurassic (Soho Theatre)

Review by Abi Bowden

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Making its London premiere at Dean Street’s Soho Theatre, Jurassic is a new satire by Tim Foley about disinformation and dinosaurs. After palaeontology lecturer Jay is fired by the newly appointed Dean, who has mistakenly believed Jurassic Park is a documentary, Jurassic follows their escalating tension, bringing in themes of wrongful dismissal, cover-ups, election-meddling and the fight for academic integrity. 

The play is electrified by the dino-mite performances of its two actors. Matt Holt is exceptional as the newly appointed Dean, whose name, entertainingly, is also Dean, playing him as an eccentric despot whose adamant refusal to back down from a fight drives the plot to spiralling chaos. Holt’s performance delightfully accentuates the absurdity and comedy of the character whilst sustaining constant, villainous undertones, creating a captivating performance. Alastair Michael provides an excellent foil to Holt as the wrongfully fired lecturer and man of the people, Jay, who pushes back against the Dean’s increasingly unfair regime with an equal refusal to back down. Michael brings so much passion and heart to the role, making him a character

that the audience immediately rallies behind. 

The two actors play off each other brilliantly, generating a contrasting and energetic dynamic that propels the show forward. Their exchanges, often at velociraptor speed, provide both hilarious moments of comedy and intensify the conflict, and are easily the most compelling aspect of the show. 

This dynamic between Holt and Michael is elevated by the excellent direction by Piers Black and movement direction by Yandass Ndlovu, who ensure that the actors are constantly and purposefully in motion. This direction ensures that each scene is visually interesting, whilst maintaining a strong pace and energy, amplifying the script throughout the performance. 

However, despite the brilliant performances and direction, underpinning the entire show is a tone that feels disjointed. The themes satirised are important issues, and there is ample space provided in the production to see the emotional and human impact of these themes. However, when the tensions rise from silly jibes over a flailing appearance on Countdown to a sudden murder-plot, it’s hard to know how serious the audience are meant to take the more sombre moments in a play ultimately rooted in a farcical premise and exaggerated proportions. 

Even with tonal challenges, the production still creates a compelling atmosphere, most notably through the lighting design by Catja Hamilton, who creates a vivid environment in the intimate venue of Soho Theatre Upstairs. A standout moment was during one of Jay and Dean’s later confrontations, where the stage was lit purely by a handheld torch, which elevated the tension and added to the descent into darker themes. Furthermore,

the final scene of the show, involving a certain pre-historic animal, was delivered impressively using lighting and effective sound design by Anna Short. 

Complementing these technical elements, Eleanor Ferguson’s costumes and set design are simple yet effective. The set, made up of three closed blinds, creates an intimate but universal setting, whilst small plant-filled cages dotted around the edge of the stage allow for more movement for Holt and Michael whilst reinforcing the Jurassic Park theme. 

In conclusion, Jurassic is a fun, fast-moving satire with T-rexcellent performances and effective direction that, in spite of a somewhat inconsistent and confused tone, provides a roar-some night of theatre. 

Jurassic plays at Soho Theatre until November 29th

For tickets and information visit https://sohotheatre.com/events/jurassic/

Photos by Rich Southgate