Writers: Benjamin Sumrie, Marco Biasioli and Liam Grogan
Director: Liam Grogan
One Hundred Percent examines the lingering impact of academic validation and the weight of external expectations in the unstable world of acting. The play follows an unnamed protagonist who, years after graduation, confronts the examiner who once awarded him a perfect score in a performance exam.
What begins as a polite catch-up over tea between former student and examiner gradually spirals into something more sinister. The weary and disdainful examiner, played by David Allen, barely remembers the pupil who has so obsessively clung to his grade. Both men have traversed difficult paths in the acting industry, but the examiner doesn’t quite match the actor’s all-consuming need to justify his worth through a single moment of recognition.
Benjamin Sumrie gives a compelling performance as the volatile and bitter actor, his energy at once magnetic and unsettling. There’s a touch of the Joker in his unblinking smile and disarming candour. At times, the performance verges on overplayed, with emotions so calibrated that spontaneity is sacrificed. Liam Grogan’s direction mirrors this precision as every pause and movement feels tightly choreographed. While the rigidity occasionally undercuts the tension, the dynamic staging makes excellent use of the compact space. Allen delivers a disgruntled portrayal of the examiner, though the script offers little justification for his decision to stay at the beginning.
The premise, a chance encounter escalating into confrontation, carries a surreal logic that draws the audience in, even if the intensity of their interaction at times strains credibility. The writing has a distinct rhythm, with sharp tonal shifts and flashes of dark humour. However, early on, it risks becoming repetitive, as the protagonist fixates on the significance of that 100% grade. While this obsessive loop does underline his psychological fragility, it occasionally becomes tiresome.
One Hundred Percent remains a tense two-hander that probes the uneasy dynamic between recognition and resentment through its blend of absurdity and menace.
Runs until 21 June 2025 and continues to tour
