Review: The Lodger at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre

Thursday, 19th October 2023 at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre, London.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reviewer: Charlotte Dawes

Written by Lauren Lewis, The Lodger is a sit-com play which navigates social class, inter-generational issues, and immigration in a comedic 60-minutes.

We meet Mum Kate as she fusses around her husband David, and adult daughters Lily and Megan, preparing for the arrival of a lodger. A mispronounced name sees an unexpected paying guest cause chaos and challenge family relations.

Lewis’ writing is instantly compelling, with each character’s personality cemented in a few short exchanges. While there is some obvious stereotyping, bickering sisters, a “never left his town” father, a positively upbeat Mum and doting “high school sweetheart” boyfriend, these characters feel real very quickly. The minimal living room set adds to the feeling that the audience are a fly on the wall.

Some of the biggest social issues are woven into the comedy. Stoic David resents needing to rely on income from his wealthy European lodger and Lily resents David for stifling her dreams of travelling. While these themes go somewhat undeveloped, social class is dealt with well, particularly via Megan, who proclaims in exasperation “how am I supposed to know what I want when my options are so limited?”.

Each member of this talented cast is integral to the comedic aspect of the piece. A standout is Julian Bailey-Jones who artfully depicts the burden of knowing a family secret, while equally showcasing skill as a frustrated working-class father.

The play ends rather abruptly after a family wide fall out, and it would have been interesting to see what the family had learnt about themselves and one another in the process, or even what happened next in their story. A longer running time would also allow an opportunity for a deeper exploration into the social issues the play touches upon.

The Lodger provides an interesting look into family life and how our circumstances may dictate our view of the world.

The Lodger is at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre, London until October 21st – more information and tickets can be found here.