aggy

King’s Head Theatre

Review 24 October 2026

Synopsis: aggy is a bold one-act play exploring privilege, gender, race and creativity. It’s about art and who gets to make it. The play unflinchingly examines how people freely police one another, and how this can lead to destruction. Lawrence and Mahlik have been together for a year. It’s going pretty well on all accounts. So when Mahlik’s contract is up at his flat, it’s only logical that they move in together. After a particularly tough rejection, Mahlik makes a risky suggestion for Lawrence’s next project – that he present as an alter ego to secure more opportunities. As success starts to roll in, this fabricated persona leaves the couple facing uncomfortable truths neither of them can ignore.

My review: The first play in this double-bill at the King’s Head Theatre, “tell me straight” was cancelled at late notice unfortunately due to cast illness and I wish them well, so well done to the cast of Aggy who went on an hour or so early for those who wanted to stay and watch the 2nd play. I will return to review “tell me straight” in a week or so when I can get back.

Aggy begins with Lawrence, a clearly struggling artist, attempting to draw at his easel as his boyfriend Mahlik moves into his flat. The relationship feels believable from the beginning: Matthew Jordan and Jean Luke Worrell have genuine chemistry, and their small gestures suggest a couple who know each other well. However, Lawrence soon appears less committed to the relationship than Mahlik, with his artistic ambitions and desire for recognition increasingly taking priority.

The set presents a stylish London apartment, although it does not necessarily suggest the financial hardship Lawrence describes. In fact, the flat implies that he has access to a degree of money and privilege, which makes his frustration at being a white male artist particularly interesting, but also in need of further exploration.

Aggy raises important questions about race, privilege and identity, but I felt that some of its most significant conversations remained underdeveloped. Lawrence’s suggestion that he looks good alongside his black boyfriend implies that their relationship enhances his social standing, yet the racial implications of this are not examined in enough depth. Likewise, Lawrence’s belief that being a white man is now a form of marginalisation is provocative, but the play needed more sustained dialogue to explore whether this was genuine frustration, entitlement, or both.

Instead, much of the focus on identity and appearance comes through Rex, played by Jack Gittins, who appears repeatedly on concealed video panels. His self absorbed videos capture the performative nature of social media and the way some people turn identity and appearance into a public brand. However, these appearances eventually felt repetitive, and the flashing lights became distracting at one point. The lighting design is clever and often striking, but the production sometimes places too much emphasis on its visual effects at the expense of the central relationship.

By the end, the play does communicate its point about entitlement and privilege. Lawrence’s growing lack of commitment to Mahlik, and his willingness to appropriate an identity for professional success, become increasingly clear. However, in a 65 minute play, the most important ideas need room to breathe. I wanted more sustained conversation between the couple about race, appropriation and the power dynamics within their relationship, rather than having so much of the production’s attention directed towards repeated video sequences.

There is a compelling play at the centre of Aggy, supported by two convincing performances, but its ideas are not explored as fully as they could be. The result is an ambitious and visually inventive production that communicates its argument, while leaving the audience wishing for a little more depth.

Show	aggy
Dates	Double bill with tell me straight until 14 Nov 2026
Venue & Booking	King’s Head Theatre

Enjoyed this review? Help support more independent arts reviews and interviews by contributing towards travel and running costs. Every contribution is appreciated!

Disclosure: I was given a press ticket for this