We take a look at how critics have been reacting to Max Wilkinson’s Night City, playing until the 3rd October.
Broadway World: “Wilkinson’s writing is at its strongest when it takes on a poetic quality, seeing the harsh beauty in London at night on the way home from a shift. Sometimes this is at the expense of plot; after a delicately executed image of snow on the Old Kent Road in the wake of tragedy, we have a clumsily inserted courtroom scene that reads too much like an attempt to hurriedly tie the three characters’ narratives together with a neat bow.”
Theatre & Tonic: “There is definitely potential within Night City, and there are some really strong creative choices throughout, particularly within the lighting, video and movement. Whilst it didn’t completely connect with me personally, there is a lot to appreciate in this intimate and engaging production, with three strong performances at its centre.”
London Theatre Reviews: “Wilkinson’s play is raw and emotional; its storyline reflects the reality of unstable work, rising costs, and the pressure not to stop—something many of us can relate to. There is tragedy, but hope is woven through as well: in Tamara and Gigi’s friendship, Tia and Jack’s love, and the ultimate resolution in court. Sharp comedy helps lighten the mood, keeping the audience chuckling throughout.”
London Theatre 1: “Night City has its flaws as at times it was a little confusing as where we were in the narrative and which character was which and there’s a court scene towards the end that doesn’t make much sense. Occasionally the piece can feel a little scattergun but these are minor niggles in what is a fascinating and highly theatrical piece of work tackling an issue that seems to have been with us forever – the exploitation of an underclass of working people that we’re all guilty of taking for granted.”
West End Best Friend: “The production has a strong and committed ensemble, creating a vivid portrait of a city that never stops moving. There is a lot packed into Night City, and perhaps a little more could have been taken off the meter towards the end. But the production is a timely story that asks us to look beyond the convenience of the services we use every day and consider the people who make them possible. It is a compelling reminder that behind every delivery, ride and service is a person trying to survive the same city we are all moving through.”
All That Dazzles: “The production is very intimate, with chains suspended from the ceiling across the performance space, creating a maze-like effect for the actors to move through. Ebenezer Bamgboye’s direction makes some bold choices, with a lot of physical movement through the maze and around its perimeter. However, it does not always work and often becomes distracting rather than dramatic.”
Lou Reviews: “But, Night City is a play that will surprise you. It takes issues that are very urgent and current and uniquely presents them. It’s very urban, broadly intense, and passionately political.”
The Reviews Hub: “Wilkinson’s script is occasionally poetic, but too many plots are packed into 80 minutes, and Night City’s determination to come up with a resolution, involving an AI bot, seems a little desperate.”
British Theatre Guide: “While this play has elements that directly reference Orwell’s dystopian fiction, it made me think more of his early works like Keep the Aspidistra Flying or Down and Out in Paris and London. In these novels, there is something romanticised and poetic about the struggle. Night City explores this balance; after all, the highs wouldn’t be highs without the lows.”
Onin.london: ” Night City paints a picture of an unsustainable work culture and the chains that bind people, but it tries to cover too much in too little time which dilutes the power of what could have been a sharper, more resonant exploration of the gig economy.”
Fringereview.co.uk: “Is the ending a little too uplifting? Deaths arrive not quite where you’re led to expect them, though there’s dark too. And a satisfying pay-off nearly everywhere. It’s a thrilling ride as scenes flick and segue on a head-twist. Wilkinson delights in denser textures than Union, with more actors, and the velocity of his stagecraft is exhilarating. This paean to the mass of gig workers who slave in precarity to make London buzz 24/7 is timely, personal, and a battle-cry with nuance: not easy to bring off. The late Mark Fisher wrote in 2009 at the dawn of the gig economy his manifesto: Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? He’d be pleased to see the emphatic answer here.”
To book tickets visit: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/night-city/