Coffee Break

August 8, 2024

7th – 10th August 2024

With a spectacular line up of cabaret, comedy, dance, improv, musicals, opera, and poetry, it is fair to say this year’s Camden Fringe is well underway. And instead of making an annual pilgrimage up to Edinburgh, you can make the journey to Zone 2 instead.

As part of the festival, I went to see Coffee Break at the Hen & Chickens Theatre, just across the road from Highbury & Islington station. Walking into the downstairs of the buzzing pub, anticipation, chatter, and laughter filled the air, before the bell rang and it was time to head upstairs.

“…if you have the chance to catch a show over the next couple of weeks, I highly suggest you do”

As the director, Bruce Kitchener, shuffled past the back row to get to the lighting box, the audience settled into a 55-minute long, metaphysical comedy which, inspired by the work of 17th century poet, Andrew Marvell, explores the body, soul, and frustrating banality of being.

We meet Jo (Ezra Dobson) and Lu (Emily Beach) in a waiting room. Following an incident involving an electric bike, Jo is ranting about how they should be banned and Lu is trying to point out how ridiculous that is, likening it to the notion of banning cats, for example.

For the following 50 or so minutes, the audience is transported between the waiting room and some really entertaining moments in the past. Highlights include when they are swimming in the sea. Jo bounds in fearlessly, Lu is more reluctant and the squealy grimaces perfectly capture the sensation of wading into cold water. Also, Kit Kitchener’s hilarious, sequin jacket, scrubs, traffic officer uniform-donned performance really stood out.

Despite these moments, in lots of ways, it feels as though the whole play is spent waiting. And that’s probably the whole point. So, bravo! But, I think there were missed opportunities to explore certain ideas, for example, Jo being a menace, further.

Overall, it was an enjoyable way to spend a Thursday evening and if you have the chance to catch a show over the next couple of weeks, I highly suggest you do.