REVIEW: Complicité by scorcher theatre company at the Jack Studio Theatre – 20-31 October 2026
‘high-energy, funny, absurd, and soberingly existential all at once’ ★★★★
An online search of the show’s title (‘complicité definition french’) yields a revealing duplicity. The translation we are perhaps more familiar with, ‘complicity’ with all its negative connotations, seems a fitting title for a show premised upon the meeting of a climate activist and an oil drilling engineer. But a ‘rapport’, cleverly emerges as both men confront their mortality, loves, and the (literal) end of the world.
The show opens with Simon alone and handcuffed to a tree in central London, 24 hours into a protest and midway through a desperate attempt at phone sex. Suit-wearing Benoit, complete with open wine bottle in hand, swaggers in (ostensibly) to heckle him. But the image of Simon’s attempts to drown out dialogue with Benoit to concentrate, not on the cause he’s attached himself to a tree for, but on a seemingly base endeavour, allows the question to arise: what exactly is it all for?
‘Complicité’ is high-energy, funny, absurd, and soberingly existential all at once. Importantly, it is a dialogue between two camps that seem ever more separate today. Finn Lanchester’s writing and direction treats the oil drilling engineer, Benoit, with empathy and avoids making a caricature of him. This, I believe, is worthy of praise. The satire takes aim at both characters with equal ferocity as it points out the common undercurrent of fear that drives us all.
Soon though, we begin to wonder why Simon and Benoit are still talking to each other at all. Both characters make multiple exits only to reappear to continue the conversation with each other. Perhaps they are both achingly lonely, but the conversation begins to feel slightly unmotivated by the midpoint of the show. It is a plot device, (as one of the protesters’ abandoned signs screams) the end of the world is nigh, that provides us with the most plausible and compelling motivation for the two men’s rapport. Simon, running around central London looking for a Lime bike at the end of the world, is scarily relatable. But it is Benoit’s quiet acceptance of the end that surprises and gives us a satisfying understanding of his character’s motivations. And when the end comes, there’s not much space for a breath before it does, but that’s perhaps what makes it so effective as a piece of theatre.
‘Complicité’ is a timely and promising piece of new writing that takes its starting image of a man chained to a tree and brings it somewhere exciting.
Photo credit: Phoebe Dowling
Complicité by scorcher theatre company at the Jack Studio Theatre, 20 to 31 October 2026
Produced by scorcher theatre company
Company:
Creative Team
Written and Directed by Finn Lanchester
Lead Set and Lighting Designer: Klára Rychtarčiková
Tree Designer and Set Builder: Lorenzo Rangoni
Design Assistant: Alice Gray
Sound Designer: Elias Dani
Graphic Designer: Hermine Pouzoulet
Producer: Adam Mir
Cast
Benoit: Victor Ciri
Simon: Alex Westbrook
Run time:
Sixty-five minutes with no interval
Please note: this production contains sexual references, explicit language, violence, flashing lights, loud noises, haze. 15+
Tickets and other information:
https://brockleyjack.co.uk/jackstudio-entry/complicite/
20-31 Oct 2026
Shows at 7.30pm
No performances: Sundays and Mondays
Tickets: £17, £15 conc; suitable for 15+.
There is no charge for online bookings.
Phone: 0333 666 3366
Telephone reservations have a £1.80 booking fee.
Our concessionary price tickets are for: full-time students, over 65s, registered unwaged, under 18s and Equity Members. Please bring proof of status.
