REVIEW: LOVETT by Lucy Roslyn at Bridewell Theatre 24 – 26 October 2026
‘a veritable miracle elixir of tragedy and comedy’ 👻👻👻👻 Spine chilling
For the London location of this show, there could have been no finer home than the Bridewell Theatre just off the infamous Fleet Street; home of the Demon Barber himself. Walking down the street from the stunning St Paul’s Cathedral right past the very address of the pie shop and barbers was the perfect atmosphere to welcome me into this gripping tale.
Stepping into the intimate auditorium, I was greeted by a haunting sombre orchestral choir and a stage lit by candlelight; an eerie welcome indeed. As the house lights went down, Mrs. Lovett herself, played by writer Lucy Rosyln, slowly steps forward to begin our journey, in this solo performance.
Lucy’s portrayal of Mrs. Lovett is equal parts hilarious and frightening. Recounting the tragic and illuminating events that would soon lead her to becoming the accomplice of a madman, her demeanour switches rapidly between gleeful and despairing as she engages with the audience in a welcoming manner, enticing quite a few laughs. The demon manages to charm you with a smile... for a while.
Drawing on comparisons between man and animal throughout the play, she speaks of the savage nature of man’s soul. Animal noises are played throughout the performance consisting of the barks of stray dogs, the squeals of pigs, the neighs of horses and the songs of whales.
Prostitutes are referred to as ‘Winchester Geese’. The wails of her parents are compared to whale songs. The buried bodies of the unnamed in Crossbones Graveyard are referred to as trimmings. Making her point that the only real difference between man and beasts is the language we speak.
This is a woman desperately seeking to belong in a world that cages her true nature. Her desperate sense of wanting to belong is shown by her insisting to be referred to by her first name, Eleanore. Doing her best to remain seen as a person even as she slides ever closer to becoming a monster. In the movie and the musical, she is solely referred to as Mrs. Lovett. Nothing more than a wife. An object of possession. But here? Just her? She’s Eleanore.
Tragedy plagues every corner of Eleanore’s life, and you find yourself sympathizing with her character. Hearing her recount her story of when the carcass of a whale washed up on the bank of the Thames and she cried with pity. It’s easy to forget this young girl will become the woman who bakes bodies into pies. She takes you on a journey of your own along with her; a journey of understanding how a person becomes what they are. It’s up to you if you can find the balance, if you can. Sympathizing with someone’s past while condemning their present.
Her anger is also shown throughout, and a lot of this is placed towards God. Unable to find solace and protection through Him, she seeks it elsewhere. Her butcher’s table becomes her altar, where she alone has control over life and death. She wears only her nightclothes while carving up the remains of the animals that find their way to her table; allowing us to see her open and vulnerable for just a little while.
She shows the helplessness of women in the Victorian era. The things they go through and the things they had to do to survive. Not that much has changed between then and now. Lamenting the struggle of power and the lack of consequences for those in it. She recounts how sin was attempted to be confined to Southwark, and it highlights this power struggle well. The men who venture out there can come back. The women remain trapped. And as her life goes from bad to worse as the years go on, we see her shed her skin of innocence and goodness.
When faced with utter desperation, morals are usually the first sacrifice. What use is goodness in a world that insists on handing you the bad?
It’s hard for a solo performer to maintain people’s attention on their own. But Roslyn’s gripping and entertaining portrayal of Eleanore Lovett manages to make the 70-minute runtime fly by, to the point where I found myself disappointed when the play came to an end.
There’s an unhinged beauty to the performance, and you find yourself almost entranced. The limited set consisting of a single table with few props helps to keep your attention on the leading lady. Clearly you can tell this story is something Roslyn is deeply passionate about, and it absolutely shows in her hauntingly beautiful performance.
Overall, this show is a veritable miracle elixir of tragedy and comedy detailing the powerful notions of God, savagery and womanhood. If you have the chance to catch this show at the Cheltenham Everyman on the 30th September, the Chichester Festival Theatre on the 1st of October or the Exeter Phoenix on the 8th of October please do, you’ll absolutely ‘Lovett’!
Further coverage of LPTM HORROR SEASON 2026 can be found here
LOVETT Written and performed by Lucy Roslyn
Directed by Jamie Firth
Sound Design by Annie May Fletcher
Artwork by Madison Coby
Cheltenham Everyman - 30 September, 7.45pm | Tickets Here
Chichester Festival Theatre, The Nest - 1 October, 8pm | Tickets Here
Exeter Phoenix - 8 October, 7.30pm | Tickets Here
Reviewer Laura King is a 28-year-old aspiring writer of novels and plays, with her first novel aiming to be finished this year. She studied Productions Arts at Weston College before moving to London and finding work within the theatre industry with both ATG and DMT. She has previously found work as a life admin assistant to Olivier award winner Janie Dee and has collaborated with her on such shows as ‘Putting It Together’ and ‘Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret’.
