Invisible Meby Bren Gosling, Southwark Playhouse, the Little, 77 Newington Causeway, London SE | until 2 May 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

Photo credit: Harry Elletson

Invisible Me

by Bren Gosling

Southwark Playhouse, the Little, 77 Newington Causeway, London SE | until 2 May 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

“Hilarious, heart-warming and growing old dangerously.”

Growing old disgracefully, or rather how to find out how to do so, is revealed in this hilarious tale of three senior citizens – well, not that old as they are only sixty – who are facing up to a depressing old age and find, partly on social media, starting with Facebook and then going rather more risqué places, show to change everything for the better. Directed by Scott Le Crass and performed on a rather handsome set designed by David Shields the cast – Tessa Peake-Jones as Lynn, Kevin N Golding as Alec, and James Holmes as Jack – rise to the challenges Gosling has confronted this discontented and unhappy trio with beautifully. It takes a moment or two as at first one does feel sixty is a bit young to start moping but as they reveal more about themselves, partly talking to the audience, partly when eventually their paths do cross and their lives become intertwined, with one another become old friends to admire. The most adventurous turns out to be the undeniably timid Lynn, deserted by an abusive husband and working as a maid in an hotel, she embarks on a career online and in reality, as a dominatrix. Alec, who is gay and still mourning his dead lover, is brought out of his self-imposed shell through meeting the other two and makes a decision he will not regret as new young lovers will be delighted to meet him where he has finally plucked up the courage to go, while taxi driver Jack discovers in Lynn a woman who might well be just what he was looking for except among the wrong age group. Social media has a lot to do with their salvation with other sites of rather raunchier nature being visited. Peak-Jones strips off Lynn's layers of repression beautifully and with evident glee. James Holmes grows up before one's eyes as Jack finally realises that his black leather jacket is only bait for the opposite sex on a younger man while Kevin N Golding as the drowning in grief Alec gloriously reveals that there is life for the living to live after death, Peake-Jones gets the best role, and maybe James Holmes the one that could do with a little more fleshing out. On the other hand Jack may well learn a thing or three from Lynn as it does seem they are about to embark on a new life every bit as stimulating as Alec, All three manage the difficult trick of confiding in the audience directly and then confronting the others as their lives get involved, whilst requires different ways of performing the material. Invisible Me adds up to a hilarious, heart-warming, splendidly performed night out.

Cast

Tess Peale- Jones – Lynn

Kevin N Golding – Alec

James Holmes – Jack

Creatives

Director – Acott le Crass

Set & Costume Designer – David Shields

Lighting Designer – Jodie Underwood

Sound Designer – Julian Starr