Review: None of Them Will Get Out Alive, Hen & Chickens Theatre

None of Them Will Get Out Alive is a murder mystery that follows six characters who are mysteriously invited to an isolated cottage. 

Believing this to be a game, the five contestants gather, cheerfully greeting old acquaintances and friends. Harriet appears to be the outlier of the group, and nobody knows who she is or why she is here. Although somewhat resolved, eventually, this feels like an unnecessary subplot that requires more focus. It is simply brushed over that she is seemingly a stranger, and none of the other characters seem particularly alarmed by her presence, once the action ramps up and betrayal sets in.

Later, they are joined by Matthew (Jean-Paul Mark Shlom), the ‘host’ of the games, who is already known to the guests. He’s sinister yet funny, exerting control over everyone else, wielding a gun and a vicious plan. The game begins, and every ten minutes, they must vote on which player should die. What ensues is tumultuous, with enough plot twists to give you whiplash. This makes it fairly difficult to follow the plot at points, and the narrative becomes confused. 

Some of these plot twists are well-written and unexpected, but are just not delivered with enough power. However, I was able to guess the final ‘whodunnit?’ from about halfway through the show. With a longer run time, to allow for fleshing out the plot more, this show could use the mounting tension to its advantage. 

The two standouts in this production are Max Young and Colette O’Brien. Max plays Bertie, the posh womaniser who is evidently from a rich background and lacks morals. He is hilarious in the role, and his chemistry with O’Brien’s Georgia is great. Georgia is elegant, beguiling and confident, smart with both deceit and resolution. Both performers work with a difficult script, but their strong acting skills deserve merit. On the whole, however, the cast lacks chemistry and doesn’t feel cohesive.

Moments of comedy offer a glimpse of relief from a confused plot, and leaning into these strengths would be beneficial. If generic metaphors like ‘a moth to a flame’ were replaced with more showing and less telling, the actors would certainly be capable of making the most of the script’s sinister undertones. 

None of Them Get Out Alive has an intriguing premise with some good moments. With some refinement of the script, mainly a clearer plot and vision, the play has a promising future.

Writer, Director & Producer: Samuel Winner
Assistant director: Fiona Hawk
Fight Choreographer: Jean-Paul Mark Shlom
Technician: Xavier Rippon

None of Them Will Get Out Alive plays at The Hen & Chickens Theatre until Wednesday 6 August