Review: The Chaos That Has Been And Will No Doubt Return at The Weston Studio

Hilarious show weaves together house party vibes, social commentary and terrible gin in this coming of age story

Such was the vitality of The Chaos That Has Been And Will No Doubt Return, that when the actors left the stage at the end of the performance, there was a palpable sense of the audience wanting more.

Sam Edmunds’ play is high-energy, immersing people into a show that pulses with music, nostalgia and drama.

The story is written with an authentic voice – very much based on Edmunds’ lived experience of growing up in Luton.

The Chaos explores themes of working class communities and young people. How deprivation, poor housing, a lack of aspiration and recession has a pervasive and claustrophobic weight over a town. How it can lead to violence.

Up to 2010 was a time where young people could still leave school at 16 to get a job. College and university in many towns was seen as an exception to be celebrated. The financial constraints of tuition fees enough to put teenagers from poorer areas from applying.

It never pillorises, pokes fun at or demonises working class people living on council estates. It’s a refreshing take and very accurate.

Despite difficult themes, there is also joy. The last days of school when teenagers stand on the cusp of adulthood. Off to one huge hedonistic house party to end them all. They just need someone older than themselves to buy some alcohol to take first.

It’s a fun piece of writing full of humour and the cast nails it.

Despite being set in the noughties – think BlackBerry, ubiquitous Ralph Lauren polo shirts – themes in the play around youth culture, particularly in inner city areas, are still relevant today.

Much of the community revolves around the local shop, a pivotal fixture on estates. They are always owned by the ‘Boss Man’. Someone who opened up decades ago, knows everyone, the goss, the popping off and which teenagers are definitely not old enough to be sold alcohol.

Olatunji Ayofe drives the story with Amaia Naima Aguinaga playing Lakesha, the girl he fancies and Elan Butler as Lewis, his best friend. The latter two multi-rolling.

Between the high jinx, there are gentle moments of intimacy. These are played with hands. The movements innocently mirroring that of Romeo and Juliet’s ‘And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.’

Estate violence is another similar theme written in similar ways in both The Chaos and Romeo and Juliet. Coupled with Sam Edmunds’ poetic language and Olatunji Ayofe’s delivery there is very much a – Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? – moment.

The Chaos also tackles knife crime. It presents it in a context that is neither condescending, othering nor laying the blame at already demonised inner-city communities.

Whilst the resolution to this specific story is uplifting, the issue also hangs in the air ripe for a bigger conversation.

Bristol itself has struggled with high profile knife crime over the last few years. Many of these have occurred in the same central East Bristol neighbourhoods and estates, with an additional one on a South Bristol Estate. Plenty more knife crime incidents in these areas occur which do not make the local media. But seeing people with huge knives out on the street has at times left communities jaded from what can become nomalised events.

The Chaos plants the blame not on people, but as something that’s grown in a climate of cut-backs, poor quality housing, crumbling estates, stripped support services, debt and poor educational outcomes for pupils experiencing different forms of discrimination.

Ultimately, despite the social commentary, The Chaos That has Been And Will No Doubt Return twists and turns in exuberance. It’s always winning the audience over with its playful sense of fun and an optimistic sense of the future. Go see it.

The Chaos That has Been And Will No Doubt Return is in The Weston Studio of Bristol Old Vic until 19 July 2025

For more information or to book, visit: https://bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/the-chaos-that-has-been-and-will-no-doubt-return

For more information about Chalk Line Theatre: https://www.chalklinetheatre.com/

For more information about knife crime, visit: https://benkinsella.org.uk/

Cast and Creatives
Voice – Olatunji Ayofe
Lakesha and other roles – Amaia Naima Aguinaga
Lewis and other roles – Elan Butler

Written by Sam Edmunds
Directed by Sam Edmunds and Vikesh Godhwani
Designed by Rob Miles
Produced by Chalk Line Theatre
Sound Design by Matteo Depares
Lighting Design by Sam Edmunds
Movement Direction and Intimacy Co-ordination by Jess Tucker Boyd
Production Photography by Harry Elletson

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