Southwark Playhouse – until 16 August 2025
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
4****
Steven (Ed Coleman) is working successfully in theatre, thinking that he is managing his day drinking and fooling everybody around him, until eventually he can’t. Sean Daniels’ autobiographical play about alcoholism is hard hitting and very funny – Daniels states that he wants to destroy shame through comedy – as Steven relates the events of his life.
From growing up in a Mormon family and his first drink, through teenage drunken scrapes that he just about got away with, through college keggers to landing his job, Steven’s model of how to manage his drinking and his work seemed to have been perfected. He needs a drink to be social, to be confident, to have sex – he doesn’t understand how people can put themselves out there without the help of alcohol. Colleagues and friends who know his addiction cover for him as he promises to get help, but he keeps hitting a wall at 70 days and eventually returns to AA for yet another white chip – acknowledging a commitment to start or renew a commitment to sobriety.
Car crashes, blackouts, lost days and opportunities are all portrayed with dark humour and a matter-of-factness that makes the horror of what is happening even worse. Steven’s relationships with friends and family are all thrown away, and his sense of loss is palpable, but only increases his need to drink. As he finally hits rock bottom the sigh when the audience realise who he reaches out to is wonderful to hear – Daniel’s writing, even taking us at such breakneck speed through Steven’s life, has created a beautifully broken character that we want to see heal. When the science of addiction is actually explained to him Steven takes his first real steps towards recovery.
Ed Coleman is dynamic and charismatic as Steven, plumbing the depths and capturing the euphoria of the character brilliantly. Mara Allen and Ashlee Irish play multiple people in Steven’s life, and the voices in his head, with great skill and characterisation.
Slickly directed by Matt Ryan, this stripped back production directs all focus on the actors – and the stage manager (Rosie Morgan), sitting onstage and hitting or missing cues depending on Steven’s state of mind. Jamie Platt’s lighting and Max Pappenheim’s sound design mark Steven’s spirals brilliantly. Lee Newby’s set design has stacks of chairs are lined up against the wall – perhaps symbolising the number of futile meetings that Steven has attended – as Mara Allen and Ashlee Irish set up circles of chairs throughout the play.
Sean Daniels’ play is remarkably frank and funny. A sharp and clever account of alcoholism that will make you laugh and think. A must-see production.