Southwark Playhouse – until 15 March 2025
Reviewed by Jackie Thornton
5*****
It’s 1981 in the sleepy, sheriff-less town of Skidmore, Missouri and there’s been a murder, but in this shocking true crime thriller, it’s not so much a whodunnit as a whydunnit.
Written by Jack Holden, who breathtakingly also plays practically every character, and director Ed Stambollouian, Kenrex brings to the stage the fascinating story of Ken Rex McElroy and his ten-year reign of terror over the good people of Skidmore. Holden commands the space, contorting his body and voice with relish to bring to life everyone from a peacemaking barmaid, a nosy shopkeeper and a plaintiff farmer to prosecuting and defence attorneys and judges, with an almost schizophrenic charm.
The slow drawl of Kenrex himself contrasted with the zeal and high energy of his heroic defence attorney Richard McFadin is a particular delight. Accompanied live on stage by award-winning composer John Patrick Elliott, original country, blues and rock punctuate this chilling tale while Anisha Field’s set and costume design add a feel of Mindhunter, especially the green floor, drab backdrop and chunky eight track recorder.
It’s evident that Holden and Stambollouian are massive true crime fans and the former’s direction does not miss a trick in ramping up tension and escalating the violence. Not that Kenrex is devoid of humour, Holden’s playful performances and Stambollouian’s thoughtful direction ensure that the peculiarities of small town life and the ridiculousness of the US justice system are satirised and picked over too. There are also nice nods to our obsession with true crime podcasts in the extensive use of microphones, which add texture to the piece.
What results is a magnificent piece of exquisitely-timed, high energy theatre with a blisteringly good soundtrack that reminds us of the flaws in our legal systems and the fractures in our communities. Kenrex, like any good crime story, asks the question humanity has never stopped wrestling with: what is justice?