Review: Wicked Fridays (Drayton Arms Theatre)
Review by Ruth Sealey
⭐️⭐️
Bringing together supernatural theatre across London’s smaller venues, ‘GrimFest’ returns for its fifth year, celebrating dark and twisted theatre in the heart of the city. Having had my fair share of horror and supernatural theatre this month, from Dracula at Reading Rep to The Haunting of Hill House in Richmond, I was drawn to another supernatural offering at Drayton Arms Theatre. Part of this year’s programme, Wicked Fridays explores control, manipulation and supernatural forces on a tropical island. Would it conjure up the haunting experience that makes horror theatre so appealing, or fail to deliver the scares?
Wicked Fridays premiered in September 2025 at the Etcetera Theatre and then at Theatre Deli later the same year, before moving to Drayton Arms Theatre. The idea for the play comes from writer and director Tamara James Dickson’s own experiences of solo travelling, and the story explores the strained relationship between Leilani, a traveller from London, and Ariel, a seemingly lone individual on an unnamed Caribbean island. Leilani is escaping something in her past, while Ariel is convinced there is a connection between them and will go to extreme measures to convince Leilani she feels this too.
It is commendable to draw on lived experience for the inspiration for a play. However, Dickson has created a collection of excellent ideas wrapped up in an inconsistent, contradictory series of events, which is as frustrating to watch as it is confusing to follow. The emotional responses within the story are ones of extremes, with slow pacing followed by intense screaming, which does not help develop the characters. When Leilani is held captive, she happily sits tied to the edge of the bed, talking to Ariel as if there were nothing unusual about the situation, before suddenly beginning to scream. This rollercoaster of emotions is difficult to follow, and the characters themselves have too many gaps in their stories, leaving multiple questions about who they are and what motivates them. A series of flashbacks offers some insight, but Ariel’s sudden change of accent and the subsequent shooting only add to the confusion, with little explanation of why these events happen. The writing tries to bring together too many themes without ever really deciding what the focus is. Themes of domestic violence, stalking and controlling behaviour are important subjects for theatre, but they do not sit comfortably alongside supernatural horror in this production. If the many unanswered questions are intended to be part of the story, the writing needs to make it clear that these are deliberate choices, rather than leaving the audience questioning their own understanding of events.
Dickson clearly has a talent for creating suspense, and the opening minutes, with no dialogue as Leilani gets ready for bed, are extremely well-directed, using movement and body language to create a sense of foreboding and uneasiness without the need for words. The opening also features a genuine and unexpected jump scare, setting the show up for high expectations. However, the pacing is disrupted by an interval that lasts almost as long as the very short first act, breaking the flow of the production. This would have worked better as a one-act show performed straight through, allowing the tension to build without interruption.
The two characters sadly never feel fully developed, which makes it difficult for the actors to make what feels like a genuine connection with the material. However, Aaron Sardinha brings a convincing darkness to Ariel, creating an ominous presence on stage. His movement around the space reinforces the sense that he has been stalking Leilani, giving him a distinctly predatory nature. Sophia Lockhart presents Leilani in two very distinct parts, initially capturing her vulnerability before making an impressive transformation into a character who is almost the complete opposite. The relationship between them is intense, with moments that hint at a deeper, supernatural connection. There is potential to explore this further, but it never fully develops here.
The design by Tamara James Dickson and co-designer Josh Omotosho is a highlight of the production. The small space is transformed into a bedroom with a distinctly Caribbean feel, with tropical plants and vibrant colours creating a strong sense of place, while the confined space adds to the claustrophobic atmosphere as the play progresses. The final scenes cleverly use blood and gore to create some extremely striking visuals. However, the end is confusing and, had the writing done more to support the story arc and outcome, the effects would have been all the more impressive and impactful. The soundscape by Justice Ezi also elevates the production, particularly in the opening scenes, where the lapping waves, barking of the dog and hum of insects establish the tropical island setting before the action has even begun. These elements work together to create a vivid environment, building a sense of unease that the story itself does not always sustain.
Wicked Fridays starts strongly, establishing an unsettling atmosphere, but sadly fizzles out, relying on dark lighting, fake blood and periodic screaming to tell the story. There are glimpses of strong direction and clearly talented performers, but the script needs a much tighter approach to storytelling to bring these elements together. The play also needs to decide what it wants to be, as combining controlling behaviour and domestic violence with supernatural horror risks undermining the more serious themes. There is potential here, particularly in the atmosphere and visual design, but for Wicked Fridays to leave any lasting impression, it needs a much clearer focus and cohesive story at its heart.
Wicked Fridays plays at Drayton Arms Theatre until 17th October. Tickets from https://thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/wicked-fridays