What’s a girl to do when her then-boyfriend runs off with a woman he met on a Buddhist retreat? Write a comedy show about it.
Soho Theatre Labs grad, Katie Hand’s, debut hour, Don’t Let Him Go To Portugal, is a siren call to those who have been dicked-over by someone that was supposed to love them. From returning to your parents, to waiting for answers that never come. Near-narcissism is never nice, but what a surge of glory to have your ex’s words ridiculed by an audience. Satisfying you in a way they never quite could.
Hand beautifully unravels the existential crises that often follows having your heart broken. There’s some familiar fears here that will resonate with the currently unlucky in love. Was I unreasonable? Am I disgusting? Was it because I’m currently pregnant with worms? (okay, maybe not the last one)
The singing is really the highlight of the show here. Her songs are original, catchy and give more than a touch of Kate Nash energy. From online boyfriends to the futile notion of free will, she has the audience singing along gleefully. The animation is also inspired, who would have expected a sketchy Alan Titchmarsh to make them laugh? Hand gives a nod to the amount of work that goes into this the tiny details, crafted for our appreciation. From musical comedy and stand-up, to animation and puppetry. There’s so many ideas at play here.
The middle section puppetry and role-play is a little bit of a shambles, but a friendly one. The audience are very much on her side, enjoying the creativity amidst the chaos. This good grace is fostered because Hand is clearly exceptionally talented. She has an endearing energy, and there’s ingenuity in the bones of this show. It’s really hard not to root for her, and she soon pulls it back.
When you feel like you’re just a pig rolling around alone in a double bed, Don’t Let Him Go to Portugal will hold your hand through the darkness. This show is in its (worm) embryonic stage. It’s the first time Hand has ever done it, and she’s still working out the details. But there’s familiarity and promise and hope and worms here. And if this doesn’t make a good premise for a show, this reviewer doesn’t know what does.
Reviewed on 17 May 2026. Returns on 31 May.
