The Wrong They Knew, Rayne Theatre at Chickenshed, 290 Chase Side, London | 6 March 2026 ⭐⭐⭐ Review by Mary-Ellen Dyson
Photo credit: Leda Omran
The Wrong They Knew
Rayne Theatre at Chickenshed, 290 Chase Side, London | 6 March 2026
⭐⭐⭐ Review by Mary-Ellen Dyson
“A distinctive flavour.”
It’s not an easy task creating hard-hitting, issue-based theatre that says something fresh and powerful about racial prejudice. Does “The Wrong They Knew” manage it?
“The Wrong They Knew” invests significant effort in creating a feel of the 1950s; I felt that it achieved this well. Costuming, set design, music and dance all helped to echo the 1950s, and I felt that, the more that these areas leant into the period, the better they became. At the same time, Chickenshed always cares deeply about present-day relevance, and the production emphasised this as well; the music and dance always maintained a distinct modern feel alongside their period tribute. This period fusion gives “The Wrong They Knew” its distinctive flavour, and I felt that they achieved this effect well.
There are plenty of strengths in the show’s details. “I Know a Young Lady” used very interesting harmonic devices to create a sense of peril and tell the story; musically, this was a highlight. The sheer volume of performers – there were two hundred cast members – energised the production and awed the audience; in an age of widespread cuts, this is a refreshing alternative. Chickenshed’s expansive casts mean that there’s always space for talent to shine in every role; for example, Alex Brennan, armed only with a death stare and the occasional line, injected extraordinary quantities of menace into the production. I felt that the choreography effectively elevated the sense of threat whilst avoiding becoming cartoonish. Chickenshed always has some excellent dancers, and leans heavily on their talents; once again, Courtney Dayes was a stand-out performer. Chickenshed can always make much of its gems.
“The Wrong They Knew” highlighted to me that dramatising racism is difficult. When attempting to depict society’s racial divisions clearly and forcefully, a show runs the risk of drawing the lines too jaggedly, removing space for subtlety and nuance. This causes problems. It is in the subtlety and nuance that we connect to the characters; through this, we feel their joy, their pain, and, most importantly, their humanity. Without the audience connecting to the characters fully, the social divisions lack emotional impact. This prevents a show from changing the hearts it seeks to change. “The Wrong They Knew” struggles to strike the balance between forcefulness and subtlety. It’s a welcome effort, and I hope that the creatives can learn much from the experience.
“The Wrong They Knew” has many excellent ingredients, but, for me, they haven’t quite come together in the finished product. Yet Chickenshed always has so much to offer. Next time, these ingredients may form a marvellous concoction. I certainly look forward to seeing it.
Core Cast List
Jackson Shawcross Felix Figgis
Theo Rookeley Junior Ajani Onaolapo
Zeeko Freitas Skye Bossisse* | Kayla James
Romy Shawcross Louie Lyons* | Karl Leyens
Diello Taylor Kailee Fisher
Don Taylor Thomas Pope
Isaac Shawcross Jonny Morton
Iris Freitas Cara Mcinanny
Theo Rookeley Senior Shiloh Maersk
Helen Rookeley Lucina Rigobert
Boyd Slowleyr Reuben Hutchinson
Bro Boyd Aaron Haig
Sir Osmos Floozeley Alex Brennan
Mrs Dawson Lauren Cambridge
Mr Rob Awol Jimmy Adamou
Madeline Awol Tilly Morton
Court Judge Tristan Manzi
Jury Foreman Emmett Ford
Granny Awol Christina Linsey
Aunty A Sarah Driver
Court Prosecutor 1 Sarah Driver
Court Prosecutor 2 Salas Yahia-Messaoud
Liz R Jones Rey Agugua
Teacher Milo Peskin
Peter Rackman Alex Tyler
Police 1 Daniel Pramatarov
Police 2 Matthew Brennan
Police 3 Jack Wayne
Full Cast List
Yasmin Abdourahim, Jimmy Adamou, Mark Adih, Jack Aggio, Rey Agugua, Victoria Aikhionbare, Alexandra Gabriela Airini, David Akubardyia, Caitlin Allan, Naomi Allen, Kyan Alves-Nicholson, Orla Amooty, Ammar Awad, Jacob Bagnall, Reece Bailey-Smith, Christopher Ballam, Sean Baradhi, Philip Batt, Lucy-Mae Beacock, Sydney Bernitz, Jiya Bhatt, Gianluca Blakemore, Estelle Bodden Bryan, Iris Bos, Skye Bossisse, Eric Bowker, Laura Brady, Holly Brayson, Mia Breen, Alex Brennan, Matthew Brennan, Caira Brooks, Emily Brown, Alex Buga, Jamie Bullock, Lillie Bunker, Sharna'kay Burrowes, Lauren Cambridge, Victoria Campos-Davis, Clara Chamberlain, Katharine Charlton, Matteo Chiatto, Jamie Christian, Tamzin Clifford, Samantha Coggin, Alfie Coles, Kate Collins, Stefan Constantinou, Madelaine Cooper, Emily Corbett, Finley Cunningham, Juliette 'JJ' Danvers, Courtney Dayes, Ashanna Dela Cruz, Sofia Dowe, Sarah Driver, Charlotte Dumonthier-Finch, Olivia Edsell, Brooke Edwards, Corina Elliott, Saffire Ellis-Janes, Lucas Elms, Monay Farmer-Samuel, Charlotte Fields, Felix Figgis, Kailee Fisher, Teddy Fisher, Emmett Ford, Dani Louise Franciosa, Emma French, Freya Gathard-Baker, Jess Glencross, Samuel Django Gould, Nina Greenall, Samantha Guy, Aaron Haig, Robyn Hall, Christian Hansen, Abigail Haringman, Jack Wayne Harris, Liam Hart, June Hatt, James Hicks-Beach, Edie Houlton, Chloe Huckle, Reuben Hutchinson, Ferah brahim, Kayla James, Avry Jani, Harry Johnson, Marivel Kalay, Sophia Khazali, Parker Khosla, Katy King, Sabrina King, Saffia Kramer, Bunny Kwabene, Rosie Laird, Kian Lam, Demar Lambert, William Laurence, Karl Leyens, Thomas Light, Christina Linsey, Anna Listo-Rees, Ethan Little, Maria Lymbourides, Louie Lyons, Shiloh Maersk, Joe Malhota, Naledi-Zoe Mangrozah, Tristan Manzi, Ana Claudia Martins Prando, Angel-Daniel Mboyo, Blue McCorry, Ruth McGill, Mariana Mcinanny, Cara Mcinanny, Megan McLaughlin, Alica McMahon-Chapman, Faith Memory, Joshua Merrick, Maria Isabella Michael, Dante Militello, Joguina Mokekola, Rio Mora, Camila Morena Martinez, Matteo Morris, Ellie Morton, Tilly Morton, Jonny Morton, Charlie Nash, Scarlett O'Riordan, Seren O'Brien, Christopher Ochieng, Alice O'Connor, Mouse O'Hehir, Anastasia O'Keefe, Christina Olympiou, Ajani Onaolapo, Peach Orchard, Shane Parker, Angie Pascall, Maya Patil, Jessie Pengelly, Milo Peskin, Sadie Phillips, Kacey Philpot, Demi Pipe, Priyanka Popat, Thomas Pope, Daniel Pramatarov, Daniel Protherough, Kairo Rabbani, Sayujya Radhakrishnan, Megan Ravetto, Sky Redfern, Cristina Remisio, Asher Reuben, Lyla Reynolds, Lucina Rigobert, Oliver Roberts, Sophia Rodgers-Moore, Elizabeth Rogers, Sebastian Ross, Filip Rytel-Floryszczyk, Amber-Leigh Saffron, Toby Sams-Friedman, Micah Samuel, Raphael Samuel-Akande, Malachi Sangala, Chirag Shah, Stevie Shannon, Vintage Shaw, Summer Tracey Shott, Sonny Sinclair, Leshante Skeete, Hamza Sogut, Daniel Sowter, Honei-May Stephenson Dempsy, Imogen Tearle, Manuel Torres, Morgyn Turay, Isadora Turner, Evie Twine, Alex Tyler, Rory Walsh, Natalie Wardrop-Day, Chiara Watson, Maia Weinert, Hannah Whitfield, Robert Wilcox, Yasmin Wilson, Kye Wolbrom, Jamie Woodbridge, Salas Yahia-Messaoud, Arash Zahirr.
Creative Team
Director – Bethany Hamlin
Assistant Director - Michael Bossisse
Music - Phil Haines, Cara Molnanny
Lyrics - Jimmy Adamou, Alex Brennan, Cara Mcinanny, Paul Morrall, Sebastian Ross
Core Creative Team - Michael Bossisse, Phil Haines, Bethany Hamlin, Cara Mcinanny, Paul Morrall, Jonny Morton, Sebastian Ross
Creative Directors - Jimmy Adamou, Lucy-Mae Beacock, Michael Bossisse, Courtney Dayes, Georgie Jacobs, Demar Lambert, Shiloh Maersk, Cara McInanny, Gemilla Shamruk, Robin Shillinglaw
Script - Paul Morall, Sebastian Ross
Set & Lighting Design - Andrew Caddies
Sound Design - Phil Haines
Animation Design - Davies Ohemeng
Costume Design - Emma Gale
Project Manager & Vocal Delivery - Fiona Carey
*Not performing at the reviewed performance
Photo credit: Leda Omran