Review: London, Do We Have A Problem? (The Hen and Chickens Theatre)

Review by Ruth Sealey

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fringe shows can catch my eye for all sorts of reasons, whether it is the publicity material, the casting, reviews or simply the title. London, Do We Have A Problem? at The Hen and Chickens Theatre, as part of the Camden Fringe Festival, stood out to me with its subject matter and its links with the charity ‘Fighting Knife Crime London’. After university, I worked in a Young Offenders Institution before going on to serve as a police officer for over ten years. Both these roles and the experiences they brought have stayed with me and, for personal reasons as well as from a reviewing perspective, I was particularly intrigued to see how this production would tackle such complex and important issues. Could London, Do We Have A Problem? strike the right balance between telling these stories and exploring the realities of their impact on those around them?

The play is set in the flat of four Gen Z young women, Naila, Reese, Josie and Sage, as they navigate life in London and its challenges. At its heart, the production aims to challenge some of the misconceptions that surround Gen Z, as the women fight for survival in a city that never seems to give them a break. Woven into this is a hard-hitting look at the impact of knife crime and the way that violence does not just impact those directly involved, but the wider community. Alongside these themes, the play explores friendship, relationships and the pressures of finding your place in a city where life can be challenging. It is an ambitious mix of ideas, bringing together everyday experiences with bigger questions about society itself.

Co-founder of Sent West Theatre Co and writer of London, Do We Have A Problem?,  Persia Cennamo should immediately be marked as a talent to watch for the future, with her writing acknowledged by a standing ovation at the end of tonight’s performance. Her writing is fast-paced and incredibly clever, always feeling like a natural conversation that, at times, made me wonder if everyone had just gone fantastically off script. The dialogue bounces from cast member to cast member and is littered with one-liners that keep coming. Cennamo tackles topics such as racism with humour and sensitivity, never allowing the humour to feel inappropriate. There is always an undertone of sincerity and lived experience, with the characters able to laugh at themselves without ever making the audience feel uncomfortable. One of the most impressive aspects of her writing is her ability to create comedy that everyone can relate to on some level, only to switch direction with almost no warning. One moment the audience is laughing; the next, we are presented with one of the most moving sequences I have seen on stage, as grief is laid open for all to see. Writing like this is a joy to watch, and if this is the start of Cennamo’s writing career, I am genuinely excited to see what comes next. 

Cennamo is not only content with producing high-quality writing but also directs the production, making full use of the small space at The Hen and Chickens Theatre. Based around one small table, the cramped but homely space of the women’s flat is brought to life. The table focuses the action, becoming a safe space where events of their days are unpicked: the embarrassing loss for their women’s football team, why you should shoplift small cans of tuna as they are the only practical product to fit up the sleeves of your Vinted dry-robe, and what happens when you try to track down your stolen iPhone all the way to Dagenham.  Cennamo’s direction means the audience never leaves the one room of the flat, yet it feels as though we are experiencing every moment alongside them. The cast move in and out of the room, with dialogue starting and finishing off stage, sometimes allowing for hilarious comments to be overhead. It adds to the feeling that we are eavesdropping on their lives, creating an intimacy that makes the audience feel like an unnoticed guest in their flat rather than simply an observer. 

The cast is astonishingly good, working together with such ease that if they are not best friends already, then they really should be. There is not a weak link among them, with Holly Readman giving an assured and understated performance as Josie that adds another dimension to the dynamics within the flat. Jane Glatley as Sage carries off some hilarious moments as she rants about the football loss and helps Josie record her self-tapes for auditions. However, the driving force in the production is the relationship between Neve Lofthouse as Reese and Cennamo as Naila, which is one of the most beautiful and genuine friendships I have seen on stage. This is not about big gestures but the subtle interaction, both physical and verbal, that both manage to incorporate alongside impeccable comic timing and razor-sharp delivery. Lofthouse has the biggest emotional swing, and her portrayal of the stabbing incident is truly heartbreaking and is delivered with such assurance that it is hard to believe that this performance is so early in her career. Cennamo continues to impress as Naila, equally at home delivering an emotional monologue or landing a perfectly timed comic moment. There is a real warmth to the performances, never losing sight of the more vulnerable moments beneath the humour.

The sound and lighting by Fen Ng Kwet Shing are also impressive for a production of this scale. Subtle changes in lighting clearly mark the passing of time, with every cue landing precisely and helping to shape the emotions on stage. The warm lighting creates a real sense of comfort in the flat while contrasting with the different moments of the day. The soundtrack is equally well chosen, with Fatboy Slim featuring among the selection and providing a perfect accompaniment to the scene changes. It is another example of the care and thought that has gone into every element of this production.

For a production that piqued my interest from the outset, this did not disappoint, and I am genuinely blown away by the maturity of both the writing and performances. This is a seriously impressive writing debut and a genuinely moving portrayal of serious issues without ever sensationalising them. While addressing everyday challenges of living in London, it also explores what it means to belong and the connections of female friendship in a world where those interactions can become increasingly fractured. There is plenty of humour alongside the more difficult moments, and the result is a production that is heartfelt and beautifully observed, tackling issues that absolutely have a place on stage when handled as brilliantly as this. With only a short run at Camden Fringe, I hope this play has an opportunity to continue to develop, allowing audiences to discover a piece of writing that feels this fresh, honest and full of potential.

London, Do We Have A Problem? plays at The Hen and Chickens Theatre until 19^th August and then at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre 21^st and 22^nd August. Tickets from https://camdenfringe.com/events/london-do-we-have-a-problem/