REVIEW: Fickle Eulogy by Nikol Kollars at The Circle and Star Theatre 7 – 12 April 2026
‘Alexa, you still got it!?’
Nikol Kollars reminds us to give our mums a ring. ★★★★
What do you get when you cross artificial intelligence, a woman grieving her mother, and a film actress who can whip out a good impression at the blink of an eye? It’s the second run of Nikol Kollars’ monodrama, and though the stage may be small, a large splash of audience tears is met with consistent giggles that echo through The Circle and Star Theatre in Hampstead.
Forget the venue’s recent rebrand by Urban Pubs and Bars in 2025. Artistic Director Steve Furst isn’t afraid to bring back the big guns, such as our very own Standing Ovation Award winner for Best Solo Performance, Nikol Kollars. Tweaks have been made: the ending doesn’t give you a second to grab your hanky, projections and handcrafted lights add new symbols of hope throughout, and Kollars cuts the chaff, refining the piece into something new from an old show.
The plot is simple. Ann prepares the eulogy for her mother’s celebration of life, a more personalised yet joyous event than your average funeral, complete with potlucks, memories, and playlists. Kollars shapes the narrative with a clever understanding of theatre’s current preference for strong visuals, impersonating a lawyer, a Trump enthusiast, and a magician to explore her grief in all its complexities before our eyes. Lighting and sound, curated by the tech wizards up in the box to our right, aid every twist or turn.
Alexa, and yes, I do mean the AI voice assistant, acts as therapist, interference, and nosy meddler while Ann prepares the food before friends and family arrive. The static, automated, clunky voice, can be found spouting “You got it!” or “This is not part of the Eulogy simulation,” and she won’t even let the grieving Kollors swear as all the cooking goes wrong. For the party.
The technological innovation of this show doesn’t stop there. Near the end, a colossal projection of Kollars’ mother appears, speaking to the audience and teasing us with the secret ingredient in one of her famous recipes—a dish that stirred envy in the town where Kollars grew up.
If the show reminds us of anything, it calls upon us to pick up the phone, stop racing around the city at crazy speeds, and give our mums a ring. It’s a slow-cooked love story that glimmers with joy, burning bright through the tears that slide down your face.
Fickle Eulogy by Nikol Kollars at The Circle and Star Theatre, Hampstead 7 – 12 April 2026
BOX OFFICE https://www.tickettailor.com/events/circleandstar/2071529
