Writers: Martina Laird, Hassan Abdulrazzak, Julia Rudd, Pound Puppy, Louis Catliff, Isabella Thompson, Lucy Ellis, Chelsea Bondzanga, Joshua Haigh
Directors: Mojola Akinyemi, Cara Dromgoole, Elizabeth Laurence, Issey Vogel, Nash Metaxas, Julia Sopher, Hen Ryan, Tom Rainn, Steve Medlin, Joe Harrington
Chaos, now in its third edition, is a cabaret-style scratch night showcasing new writing from artists at a range of career stages. Its title feels apt as the evening embraces an intentionally unconventional structure, with some pieces fragmented across the programme and an undercurrent of absurdity threading through the work.
While the format tends to favour recurring pieces that reappear throughout the night, the most compelling contributions are often the self-contained solo performances. Arsehole, written and performed by Louis Catliff, stands out as a monologue delivered by a display toilet recounting its origin story as a silent witness within a Russian oligarch’s London home.
Many of the other solo works lean further into performance and theatricality. Isabella Thompson’s mime, centred on a girl’s fixation with finding the perfect schoolbag, takes an unexpected musical turn. However, it is Lucy Ellis who steals the show with her portrayal of a leech that once appeared in The Exorcist. Her precise comedic timing keeps the audience on tenterhooks, and her offbeat humour lands consistently. Joshua Haigh also impresses as a creator-performer, delivering a lip-sync to a spoken word/rap piece about job-seeking. His choreography, in particular, brings a welcome burst of energy to the second half.
The more segmented works include Fly Me To The Moon by Martina Laird, The Tune Is Always Better on the Outside by Hassan Abdulrazzakk, Dear Joanna, My Favourite Animals are Scorpions by Julia Rudd, and 10 Things To Tell Yourself in the Line for the Gay Club by Pound Pully. Stories vary, from a kidnapping gone wrong, to an exploration of how power asserts itself, to a childlike exchange between a boy and a girl and finally to a surreal, Berghain-esque club perched atop a mountain.
Among these, Pound Pully’s piece offers a playful yet pointed exploration of queer identity and desire, pushing to absurd extremes the lengths we go to feel wanted. Julia Rudd’s work, however, benefits most from its episodic structure. Its early sections establish a simple, repetitive, childlike language, which gradually reveals a more complex and unsettling gender dynamic. What begins as an innocent form of courtship evolves into a subtle suggestion of the origins of incel culture.
The live band, comprising drums, bass and piano, plays a crucial role in shaping the evening. Beyond underscoring individual pieces, they provide fluid transitions that sustain the cabaret atmosphere. For those seeking an evening that celebrates new writing in a playful and unconventional form, Chaos III offers a thoroughly fun night out.
Runs until 28 March 2026
