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More sex and violence: Playfight @sohotheatre

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The funny thing about three girls growing up under a tree is that you never quite know when they're being serious or just messing about. One time, they might be talking about giving blow jobs on a tennis court at school and another, they might be yearning for a connection that they can't quite explain. That's what happens in Playfight, an Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024 hit currently showing at Soho Theatre .  Writer Julia Grogan doesn't give us much time to dwell on the lives of these three young teenage girls. One minute, they're fifteen and giggling, and then the next thing, they're off getting married or going to University. But underneath all the smutty talk, humour, and quick scene changes, there is a darker underbelly about relationships, power, and consent. It's about finding your way in a complex world that can dehumanise and degrade you. But as things move so quickly, you could blink and miss it. This is too bad as the performances capturing this co...

Theatre: All New People


All New People, written and starring Zach Braff is a play that takes place over 90 or so minutes in the dead of winter at a beach house on Long Beach Island New Jersey. Zach's character Charlie is staying at his friends beach house for a few days as he is having a bit of crisis at this point in his life. He is about to end it all, when a real estate agent walks in... Then follows a fireman, and then a high-class hooker his best friend arranged to cheer him up with.

The stage is set for a bizarre and off-beat set of stories and revelations from this collection of four unlikely people. There is a detailed discussion about scabies and debates about the merits of various intoxicating substances. Projections help with the back stories of the characters, but it works best when it is just some off-beat random discussions about matters of trivial importance. Or are they? Whatever the case, the action moves briskly and the laughs are fairly constant.


Along with the Scrubs and Garden State star Zach Braff is a pretty hot cast. Eve Myles (known from Torchwood) plays the mildly eccentric real estate agent, Paul Hilton is the druggy fireman and Susannah Fielding is the glamorous escort with a heart of gold and tits to die for.

Maybe there are some Torchwood fans out there, but judging by the fans that are now gathering outside the theatre every night perhaps Mr Braff has got a potential hit on his hands. Assuming they are all paying to get a ticket and not just staying at home watching repeat episodes of Scrubs on E4...

Worth a look, if you can grab a ticket... I was impressed with the box seats in the circle as they were good value, close to the action and come complete with a hooks for your coats. The restricted view was not such a big deal given most of the action takes place dead centre.

First impressions are as follows...
Preview Boo: All New People (mp3)

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