Hampstead Theatre, London – until 26 April 2025
Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith
3***
John Donnelly’s new play set in a contemporary London complete with all the anxieties of the day follows Mia (Sophie Melville) as she is at breaking point with a crying newborn, a tween son, and an absent husband who does a mysterious job for the police. Her noisy neighbours are driving her mad, she hasn’t slept in months, and her son Alfie (played by Callum Knowelden for this performance) is showing some troubling signs at school. Luckily, his lovely teacher Ana (Laura Whitmore) is here to help with some extra tutoring and a shoulder to cry on (amongst other things). However, it turns out that Ana has an ulterior, centuries old motive.
Mutilated bodies are washing up on the banks of the Thames and it soon becomes apparent that the murders are not dissimilar to that of vampire killings of old. The vampire forums on the dark web are abuzz with chatter of how to get a passport if you are hundreds of years old and speculation about who is committing the crimes. Mia’s husband Joe (Bryan Dick) works in surveillance and is part of the team trying to track down the killer which doesn’t help with Mia’s sleeplessness induced paranoia and fears.
Whilst out having a drink with a loud banker (one of many victims played hilariously by Leander Deeny), Ana reveals that she is in fact a vampire and that she can solve all of Mia’s problems, plus those of society. Blanche McIntyre’s production puts many of the anxieties that exist today front and centre with violence towards women and girls, climate change, and gender dynamics being brought to the fore.
The claustrophobic nature of Tom Piper’s clever ever changing set puts Mia’s postpartum depression into sharp focus, and the forboding scaffolding towering over the stage creates a sense of constant construction and change. Sound design by Christopher Shutt is jarring and loud, and the atmospheric lighting from Jack Knowles creates tension and some fun jump scares.
The plot is pacey and peppered with humour, and Sophie Melville is fantastic as Mia, all rage, fear, and love. Laura Whitmore is great as the smooth talking vampire, and really seemed to settle into the role in the second half.
Apex Predator is an enjoyable watch and it’s a clever way to explore postpartum depression and psychosis. The acting is superb and even though it did at times seem a bit rushed plot wise and the interval seemed a bit pointless, the commentary is current and the anxieties are real despite it being a story about vampires. But hey, I wouldn’t be surprised if they turned out to be real too.