Apex Predator ★★★★ Hampstead Theatre | Mar 22 - Apr 26, 2025


A ten year-old son who is in trouble at school; a husband who is away, working day and night on a mysterious project; a baby who cries constantly while an upstairs neighbour plays his music too loudly; plus, on top of all this, a rude and threatening stranger on public transport and an exhibitionist in the park: Mia has lots of reasons to feel both victimised and stressed out. When she meets her son's new teacher, however, she may finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. The mysterious and quirky Ana radiates a sense of empowerment and confidence that is both bewildering and beguiling. John Donnelly has written a neat little thriller that grips the audience from its opening scene. It is ominous and delightfully spooky, while touching on a number of issues that could have been more fully developed. Although the notion of climate change and species extinction is referenced in the title and elsewhere, it could have been clarified and expanded to provide a more interesting thematic element to the work. The brevity of the piece also means that the central relationship between Mia and Ana feels somewhat underdeveloped. We really need to believe in the tension and chemistry between these two characters, and it all seems a little perfunctory. It is no easy matter to walk the line between building intensity while not overplaying it, but this relationship needed just a bit more elaboration. That being said, Sophie Melville does an extraordinary job as Mia. Her nervous tension is sizzlingly communicated, and her sense of crisis is palpable. As Ana, the mysterious stranger, Laura Whitmore deftly alternates between being equally needy and being controllingly aloof. Bryan Dick does a nice job as the long-suffering husband, Joe, and Leander Deeny puts in some fine work playing a number of smaller roles. Deeny actually performs the near impossible task of managing to inhabit each of these characters without drawing attention to the fact that they are being played by a single person. Apex Predator is a terrific show that should have you on the edge of your seat and will probably leave you wondering whether you have just shared a fantasy of postnatal depression or have actually been part of a darker supernatural experience.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Ellie Kurttz

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Eton Ave, London NW3 3EU, UK

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