STICKIN’ BOY By Martin Muscatt at Etcetera Theatre 5 – 10 May 2026

‘electrifying music, but lacks the shape and high stakes a play needs to remain engaging’  ★★ ½

Thrown into the underground punk rock scene of the late 70s in London, Stickin’ Boy features the gritty music of rock’n’roll band Taurus Trakker, led by Martin Muscatt, also writer and director of the play. The story follows Eddy (Tom Patrick Coley) in his early 20s as he fights to follows his dreams as a musician while he stumbles upon the underground sex & drugs scene of the ‘beginning of punk rock’. 

Muscatt introduces the musical through a documentary-style interview: he appears on screen (while being physically onstage, playing live with his band) to retell parts of the story – his story. The mixed media remains throughout, with interludes of Muscatt speaking to camera, while time passes with footage of Soho’s hottest streets. If the setting transports us directly into the world of Taurus Trakker, and the raw rebellious music pulls us instantly into their frantic energy, the overall writing struggles to match the power of the musical performances. 

The narrative structure follows Eddy encountering various characters. The beginning feels like a slow burn: Eddy works in a warehouse, where his boss comes in twice before actually firing him. His father appears, but doesn’t bring essential conflict to the rest of the play – apart from the fact that he later visits the same prostitute whom Eddy develops feelings for, yet even this comedy potential isn’t fully exploited. It is only when Eddy meets Candy (Phoebe White) that the play truly starts unfolding. The world of the brothel is the most captivating part of the show. Madame O (Jennie BelleStar) runs the business where Candy, Mandy (Jojo O’Donoghue) and Wendy (Ella Morgan) spend their time meeting men, drinking and laughing, recruiting Eddy as their ‘sticking boy’. Their songs are playful and enjoyable to watch, especially Phoebe White’s heartbreaking ‘So Far Down’, which was an incredibly moving performance. 

Meanwhile, unfortunately Eddy’s character remains sort of passive in his own story, and the drive of the plot seems unsure of itself. This is a general retelling of his life, and ultimately, it lacks the shape and high stakes a play needs to remain engaging. 

Overall, Stickin’ Boy’s electrifying music, inspired by The Clash, shows great potential for a new punk rock’n’roll musical.

Stickin’ Boy By Martin Muscatt at Etcetera Theatre 5 – 10 May 2026

BOX OFFICE https://www.etceteratheatrecamden.com/events/stickin-boy-la8zx-l263p

The play has an accompanying double album of songs, performed by London band Taurus Trakker, cast members and Special Guests.

Link to sound track https://taurustrakker.bandcamp.com/album/stickin-boy