REVIEW: HAND ME DOWNS by Eliza Brown at Jack Studio Theatre 30 Sept – 11 Oct 2025
‘A collective worthy of your attention’ ★★★
Brothers and sisters, eh? Can be close, can be not. Can be similar, can be entirely different. Can be loving, can be cruel. When life takes a turn you would hope that this most tricky of relationships can hold together and become stronger. And, let’s be honest, it’s a great set up for a play when two siblings are thrown back together - particularly when the two are poles apart in many ways.
For their London debut Puzzled Monkey Theatre and, most notably writer / performer Eliza Brown, explore how grief is taken on board, how it is stored, how it is shared and the impact it can have on people who can’t necessarily communicate their feelings of loss to those to whom they are closest.
Separated for many years through living with divorced parents, we see quiet, gentle, brooding George having his home life somewhat upended by the return of his sister Harriet following the passing of her closest friend. He likes order. She causes disorder. He is neat and tidy. She just leaves things knocking about. He plans meals for the week. She……you get the idea.
They do however have an immediate chemistry and shared language (little nicknames etc) which shows there is an inherent closeness but, with Harriet quietly grieving, being concerned about a possible stalker and finding purpose through climate activism, loner George (his best friend is ageing Mary from the care home at which he works) is challenged to incorporate Harriet into his routine and ways.
The first half hour takes this set up very neatly and we’re good to go - and all played against a pleasing 80’s soundtrack, a serviceable set with some lively interplay. What follows is, alas, somewhat meandering, overlong with a script and two performances that is maybe just ‘trying too hard’. All the key action happens away from us which leaves the characters to shuffle on and offstage to report back (n.b. I of course appreciate that this is a symptom of working in a small space and to a small budget). Key themes are surface and little depth and, ultimately, the denouement just fizzles out with a bit of a shrug.
And yet. There is much, much potential here and, indeed, either a tighter one hour play or a wider, bigger piece which brings in the off stage roll call of characters would be interesting to see. As George, Fraser Houston shows nice timing and depth and Eliza Brown’s Harriet has a commanding, knowing and, more pertinently, they work really well together. Brown’s script fizzes at times with a few truly great observations and lines but by trying to cover too much there needs to be a little more focus in the writing - and also to not worry about looking to crack a joke at every turn.
So, much to enjoy but with some homework to do - but this is a collective that is worthy of your attention, and I look forward to the next iteration of this show and to their next endeavour.
BOX OFFICE https://brockleyjack.co.uk/jackstudio-entry/hand-me-downs/
Cast: Eliza Brown and Fraser Houston
Written by Eliza Brown
Directed by Toby Bruton
Designer: Molly Payne
Dramaturg: Allison Heinz
Lighting and Sound operator: Isabelle Jessop
Presented by Puzzled Monkey Theatre
Photography: Henry Roberts
