REVIEW: ONE FROM THE HEART & LONDONGRAD Double bill at The Hen and Chickens Theatre 1 & 2 February 2025

ONE FROM THE HEART

‘Humorous pieces which delve into what it is to be human’ ★★★★

It is a rare chance to see the team behind The Hen and Chickens Theatre mounting their own production and showcasing their own talents alongside fellow theatre professionals. The evening consists of a series of monologues by Ken Jaworowski and Mark Lyminster, along-side a brand-new one act play by Athena Atherton. Mark & Athena are members of the Hen & Chickens team, as are actors Boo Jackson, Renée Donlon, Håkan Carlsson and director James Wren.

One from the Heart is a collection of monologues about the quirks of life and what our hearts desire. The first four are written by Ken Jaworowski, an editor at The New York Times. They are deeply relatable and all have a little unexpected punch which leaves audiences laughing. The last piece is written and performed by Mark Lyminster and is individualistic (more about this below). All are directed by James Wren. Having seen some of Wren’s work before, it becomes apparent that he has a special talent with comedic timing and with pace. 

Each piece is superbly paced, with elegant pauses which give the audience time to breath and take in the story at their leisure (instead of the constant breakneck speed which so many directors employ to keep up with thrills). Every single piece of comedy landed, and also, it seems, some comedy, not scripted also made its way onto the stage. There are a number of juxtapositions which could have fallen flat in lessor hands.  Each piece feels quite natural, even the outlandish or unlikely feels real. They are all very entertaining and it is a fun evening, which is true to the venue’s core values.

The first piece, NEVER SMILE, NEVER WAVE is performed by Boo Jackson. This is not a character to immediately fall in love with as she’s a party going clubber, who distains other women and has a code for putting off any man who might come her way. Never smile and certainly never wave. When she finds herself in a pub, she meets some ‘real’ people who take a genuine interest in her, and she realises something about herself. She’s not very happy, and understanding this, there is a neat little catharsis. It's a good warm up piece and Jackson plays the role as someone we love to hate, until that last moment when our hearts melt. 

THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT, my favourite piece, is performed by Håkan Carlsson with considerable charm. Unlike the first piece, in which the performer is very still, this character is rather more physical; he’s walking on the pavement, he’s attempting to catch a train, and he bumps into someone knocking them flat (it’s an old person – that really shouldn’t be funny but … I’m an old person). 

There’s a wonderful circular feel to this piece. It starts with him reading the newspaper with all the time in the world, as he’s just quit his job.  He’s reflecting on the monotony of his life and what has come along to change it. He’s met someone but unfortunately, he hasn’t asked for her phone number, so he’s hunting for her. No spoilers here, but it is quite an audacious ending. 

DAD & DI is another heart warming piece, performed by Renée Donlon. A young woman has been caring for her father since she was 11 and now he tells her that it’s time ‘to let go’. He wants to climb the cliffs where he met his wife, but his daughter is full of concern for his heart problem.  The audience is taken to the brink of loss … and the ending is quite abrupt but leaves everyone sure of the outcome. Donlon is quietly assured in the role, nothing mawkish here, just believable, a part of life. The cut off too seems quite normal, people don’t always want to share … which also raises a little laugh from the audience. 

LUCK OF THE DRAW is intentionally going for the laughs.  What would we do if we found a lottery ticket which had come in big style. Who would we share it with? Would we sneak away and tell ourselves that we deserved this lucky break? Performed by Angela Peters, she manages to keep the audience with her, throughout the ups and downs of the piece. It feels very humbling, something to do with the lies we tell ourselves and how we justify our bad behaviour and change our tune when necessary.  There is something very human here about survival but also about being selfish. 

THE BALATON has a different writer but thanks to having the same director, it shares a quality in common with the first four short plays.  Written & performed by Mark Lyminster, it is very quirky but also understated. Lyminster is certainly capable of going ‘big’, but his quietly assured performance works really well. The character has just had a kidney transplant and the donor is his cousin Kevin. Kidney Kevin and later Killer Keven or KK. The humour in this piece goes large with belly laughs aplenty. There’s a tall story at one point and a long pause from Lyminster, before the punch line, which brings the house down. 

LONDONGRAD written and directed by Athena Atherton

No star rating here, as it feels early stage for this absurdist piece of theatre. Usually, absurdist drama starts slow and builds but this goes straight in at the top with three larger than life characters. In the programme we learn that the foreign secretary (Cameron Wight) is a certified party animal, prone to partying with controversial figures, and the chief whip (Mollie Kerrigan) and prime minister (Cassia Grimin) are just as thick and scandal prone. They get blackmailed by Putin who wants to buy London. The chief whip and the prime minister are trying to put a spin on it. Hilariously, some of the ideas include carving London up and giving only part of it, (but not Islington) to level up the north, south divide. Or, giving away the whole of London to level up the north south divide. 

During the piece we also learn that the foreign secretary is ‘in bed’ with Kim Jong Um, also the chief whip and prime minister are having an affair. It is suggested that it is a ‘something – gate’ scandal. Londongrad is also billed as ‘gay’, and at the same time it is also billed as entirely unrealistic (hopefully). 

There are several references to Murdoch and querying who has the real power. There are some outrageous comments thrown in regarding Netanyahu’s treatment of Palestinians. On and on, at tremendous speed, so that I found it confusing at times, but the young audience thoroughly enjoyed it. There is certainly, and quite rightly, a critique of governments and the madness therein; there is no shortage of scandal. It does seem the age for absurdism has come around again.  So, it’s a brave play which takes a hard topic head on. 

One from the Heart at Hen and Chickens Theatre 1 and 2 February 2025

Never Smile, Never Wave Written by Ken Jaworowski. Performed by Boo Jackson

The Brightest Light Written by Ken Jaworowski. Performed by Håkan Carlsson

Dad & Di Written by Ken Jaworowski. Performed by Renée Donlon

Luck of the Draw  Written by Ken Jaworowski. Performed by Angela Peters

The Balaton Written & performed by Mark Lyminster

All monologues directed by James Wren

Londongrad  one-act play written & Directed by by Athena Atherton

Starring: Cameron Wight, Mollie Kerrigan & Cassia Crimin