Dial 1 for UK, Dugdale Arts Centre, 39 London Road, Enfield, London | 22 May 2026 ⭐⭐⭐ Review by Mary-Ellen Dyson

Photo credit: Deven Ahire

Dial 1 for UK

Dugdale Arts Centre, 39 London Road, Enfield, London | 22 May 2026

⭐⭐⭐ Review by Mary-Ellen Dyson

“Nourishing new voices.”

“Dial 1 for UK” is a one-man comedic play currently touring the UK. It is about – well, is there anything that it is notabout? Migration, content creation, attitudes towards the elderly, call centres, visa dealers, and the hazards of cryptocurrency deals – it covers them all!

The show is written and performed by Mohit Mathur, an up-and-coming creative. His script shows signs of promise. For example, the narrative devices used to devise dialogue in a one-man show are effective and creative. His conversations with a mute man with advanced dementia work well, and even better are his character’s attempts at YouTube content creation, which contribute to the story, reveal a different dimension to his character and allow the conversation to flow and remain fresh. He covers an ambitious range of themes, and knits them together well. I am hopeful that this experience will help him to hone his craft as a comedic writer. It is wonderful to see new talent thriving in British theatre.

This show’s strongest feature is the staging. The director, Phil Willmott, deserves to be applauded for this. Entire scenes are set simply and effectively with pictures printed on A4 paper. Red ribbons are connected to bar stools to draw the contours of our protagonist’s journey, a simple device that adds tremendous visual interest. These ribbons grow out of the show’s backdrop, a map, making the space feel large and full. A small lighting rig seamlessly and powerfully contributes to the atmosphere. Congratulations must go to the set designer, Caitlin Abbott, and the lighting designer, Rachel Sampley, for these elements. This is staging on a budget that doesn’t compromise on quality.

If theatre wants to survive, it must nurture the young generation and support them to develop their talents. Theatre must remain fresh and inventive, nourishing new voices and giving them opportunities to try things out. May there be many more productions in which new talent emerges and grows, as it does here.

Cast & creatives

Produced by MoCa Productions

Written and Performed by Mohit Mathur

Directed by Phil Willmott

Assistant Director: Ralph Jefferys

Lighting Designer: Rachel Sampley

Set Designer: Caitlin Abbott

Associate Producer: Dan Sareen

Sound Designer: Ansuman Biswas