Checkout – The Lion and Unicorn Theatre, London

Writer: Kitty Evans

Director: Safia Lamrani

The creative duo of Kitty Evans and Safia Lamrani, who co-lead Pistachio Theatre, have found considerable previous success with their aptly-named scratch night series Out The Shell. Seeking a new challenge, they are now staging their first full-length piece Checkout at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre – where they were announced as Associate Artists earlier this year. The debut play, penned by Evans herself, offers an incredible display of creative talent and is, perhaps, Pistachio Theatre’s strongest work to date.

As writer, producer and sole performer of Checkout,Evans is a triple threat theatre-maker and sets the evening’s tone with captivating energy from the outset. She takes on the sparse stage with impressive presence and proceeds to build her world with just a mop, a clothes rail and a handful of accessories.

Almost every creative under the sun has at one point daydreamed of making work about the worst bits of their day job but, fortunately for audiences, Evans has made this a reality. As supermarket employee Lucy, she is bitter yet likeable and the way she slates her customer-service role feels universal without being generic.

As director, Lamrani has a brilliantly playful vision for the piece which ingeniously emphasises the existing comedy within the text. Lucy’s inner thoughts are frequently blown up into gloriously entertaining stylistic sequences which yield laugh-out-loud results. These outlandish moments of directorial inspiration contrast beautifully with later, more vulnerable, moments in which Lamrani strips Evans’ performance right back, to let her writing speak for itself.

Evans’ introverted response to Lucy’s trauma feels more honest than a theatrical breakdown, but also incredibly powerful contrasted against the extroverted showmanship she has displayed in every other moment. The way Lamrani has chosen to juxtapose lighthearted fantasy against harsh reality offers an intelligent comment on how people will do anything to distract from their inner demons.

Checkout is a solo show executed to the highest standard. From Evans’ stellar multi-role ability to Lamrani’s inspired staging, the audience can relax into Pistachio Theatre’s incredibly capable hands for an hour of pure theatrical escapism.

Runs until 6 July 2024