Joseph and the Stag at the Hen and Chicken Theatre Bar

This was my first time in the Hen and Chicken Theatre Bar, a beautiful, intimate theatre in Islington. Due to its small size, no official access scheme is in place,e but the friendliness of the staff is miles above what I’ve seen on the west end recently. A relaxed and cosy atmosphere sets the tone for the show ahead. 

Heading upstairs, the level stage is softly lit and there is flyers over every chair. A simple set contains 3 things of note: a door, a table and a ladder. Despite its simplicity, the acting of Sam John alone is enough to believe you have been transported. 

Before the performance begins, the wonderful Lucinda Freeburn takes a wooden sign hanging from the door and flips it, reminding the audience to turn off their phones.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

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My Review:

Joseph and the stag follows the tale of a young man and his struggle with not meeting his father's standards of masculinity and his attempt to kill a stag to prove himself. 

The dialogue in this piece is phenomenal. At times, John's rhythmic verse speaking is sidetracked for some well-placed “in simpler terms” jokes that land very well and perfectly keep the intrigue of the tale while momentarily breaking its dramatic seriousness.

The story shifts between locations, times and even dreams through a wonderful series of dance breaks and rewritten chalk messages. Each time seamlessly bringing the audience to an instantly immersive place. 

The narrative dancing of John and Freeburn is mesmerising. Freeburn’s violin blends with John's monologues to add tension, emotion and humour when the line calls for it. There are moments where violin strings are used to mimic the shooting of a weapon, while in the same bar mimicking the cry of the injured animal after it strikes. 

The sound design overall does wonders in a venue of this size. It’s the perfect volume to feel connected to the story and to build and release tension when the story requires it. 

Onto the other main character mentioned in this show's title: The Stag.  My god - The Stag. 

The stag is a character we only see in the latter half of the production, and what an entrance it made. The slow and elegant introduction of Ariadne Lenihan in this role was enough to make my skin crawl. With antlers looming around this intimate stage, it easily created a demanding and intimidating presence. 

The reappearance of the stag on crutches while injured was a beautiful depiction of both an innocent creature and an intimidating beast. The creature, like in its introduction, passed through the back curtain and waits behind the door in the centre of the stage and in a testament to John's acting and the wonderful sound design, I have never been more scared of a monster I have already been shown. The suspense in this moment was stunning.

This is a stunning production in every detail, from the quality of the costumes to the script. Keep an eye out for this one, wherever it heads next, it will be a delight to see in a space of the same size or bigger.

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Content Warnings:

There were no content warnings available on the booking website or visible at the theatre, but the description of the show implies the following:

• Difficult Parental Relationships

• Implied Harm to Animals

• Toxic Masculinity

• Peer Pressure/Social Expectations

These are some further moments that I felt should be mentioned, which are as follows:

• Urine, Defecation and Vomit (in that order)

• Light audio depiction and frequent descriptions of the butchering and disembowelling of animals

• Mention of Cannibalism

• Themes of Generation Trauma/Parental Pressure and Dissapointment

• Loud Noises (including screams)

• Low Lights (at times)

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Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer