The Mad Ones
Sam sits in her dead friend’s car, at an intersection of possibilities. University, running away with her boyfriend or just driving down the highway- she has a choice to make, but first she must face her loss before she can put her keys in the ignition.
Written by Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk, this show has been around for a while. Originally called ‘The Unauthorised Autobiography of Samantha Brown’’, it was first performed at 59E59 Theatres in America, in November 2017. Then a cast album was released in 2020. Following this, the show crossed the pond and was performed at The Old Joint Stock Theatre in Birmingham in 2023. Over the years the musical has gained a strong online fanbase. The creative team of current production at The Other Palace, which marks its official London debut, hopes that the show will gain traction in the UK.
The set makes the best use of the studio space, which has a relatively small stage. The back of the stage space is covered with a shattered mirror, which is multi-layered to allow for characters to appear inside of it, whilst also allowing the performers to be reflected from all angles.
The car as a set piece is surprisingly dynamic: it can be manoeuvred around the stage space and the seats are able to be pushed back to allow for the creation of other settings. Not to mention that it's omnipresent and allows the scenes to be seamlessly tied together through the non-linear storytelling.
The costumes are naturalistic, which allows the show to be grounded in reality whilst not detracting from the set.
Having heard the soundtrack before, we knew that this musical would be quite something to see live. The lyrics are so well considered, both progressing the plot gradually whilst also being artistically brilliant and memorable. The harmonies are absolutely perfect and the songs sound so much better live with singers as talented as the current cast, who really live in the music.
Speaking of the cast, Dora Gee gives a stellar performance as Samantha. Her character is very complex: an eighteen year old who's trying to decide what to do with her life whilst grieving, re-living and reflecting on her past experiences and decisions. Gee really allows her character to ride the highway of emotions this show presents, meaning that her performance feels organic and lived in- not to mention that her characterisation is full of range, meaning that this very anxious character doesn’t feel static or over played.
Courtney Stapleton also does a phenomenal job at creating a truly meaningful performance, which is particularly impressive because her character (Kelly) is dead and she doesn’t play to any stereotypes. She focuses on what Kelly would have been like in life and plays to that, and we find that refreshing.
Gabriel Hinchliffe is not to be underestimated in his role as the golden retriever of the show, Adam. His performance is understated yet highly comedic and gives the show much needed tonal variation. He is an absolute joy to watch on stage and really sets the standard for very healthy, full bodied male characters, which tend to be hard to come by. Yes, Adam may be simple but he doesn’t have a toxically masculine bone in his body and Hinchliffe is an absolute joy to watch on stage in this role.
Thea-Jo Wolfe really commits to her role as Beverly, the over analytical, overbearing mother. She’s by far the most interesting character to watch with how different aspects of her background and given circumstances intersect and Wolfe fills the role with her whole body. Every detail from her facial expressions to the slightest bodily movement is considered, meaning that we feel her character from every angle.
The show itself is profound on a level that has to be seen to be fully understood. It covers the difficulties of turning eighteen and having no idea what to do with your life, feeling the pressure of other peoples ideas and expectations, figuring out how first love works and discovering your sexuality, feeling romantic feelings for someone but not acting on them/not being sure what to do with them, mother-daughter relationships and how these evolve etc.
It isn’t afraid to talk frankly about the numbness and stasis that can come with grief and the type of grief the show openly discusses is the quiet kind of ‘oh my god, what do I do now?’ grief, which is rarely seen on stages. Not to mention that it acknowledges disenfranchised grief as a real form of grief, which is refreshing to see.
It doesn’t rush its protagonist or force her to move on, it simply challenges her to consider and explore what it is that she, herself, actually wants if not for the future, at least for the now. She gets to sit in her memories for a bit and this, in turn, gives us a chance to connect with her in her reflection.
This show will make you laugh until you cry and then actually cry due to how moving it is. It absolutely deserves the online fan base it has acquired over the years and we really hope that this fan base becomes more actively realised.
This show was reviewed on the 9th May 2025 at The Other Palace, London where it's booking until 1st June 2025. Tickets available here: The Mad Ones - The Other Palace Theatre
Review written by Megan O'Neill
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Photo credit: Perro Loco Productions
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