SMOKE Review: A Haunting Idea That Falls Just Short of Devastation
- London Theatre Doc
- May 2
- 2 min read
★★★
A message from a dead partner should be chilling. In SMOKE, it is intriguing, but never quite devastating.
When Alex receives a message from his boyfriend two years after his death, it sets off a spiral of suspicion, fixation and psychological unravelling. Grief sits at the centre, but it is sharpened by drug use, which begins to distort reality and heighten a growing sense of paranoia. It is a gripping premise, one that promises something dark, unsettling and emotionally raw.
Written and performed by Alexis Gregory, following previous work including Riot Act and FutureQueer, this feels like a more psychologically driven piece, but one that does not always land with the same precision. Gregory is a compelling presence. He moves confidently through the space, drawing the audience in with sharp timing and a strong instinct for connection. There is real humour here, delivered with control and ease, and at its best the performance feels intimate and unpredictable.
Directed by Campbell X, the staging is deliberately stripped back. With the house lights up and no real visual framework, the focus remains entirely on Gregory. At times this creates a sense of exposure that suits the material. More often, it leaves the production feeling visually thin. It neither heightens the tension nor deepens the experience. It simply exists.
The tonal balance never quite settles. The humour gives the piece energy, but it repeatedly undercuts the weight of the darker material. As Alex’s grip on reality begins to slip, the shift should feel dangerous and disorientating. Instead, it feels controlled, never quite tipping into the chaos the story demands.
At just an hour, the piece moves quickly, but that pace comes at a cost. The ideas are strong and the themes are important, particularly in how they explore grief, addiction and isolation, but they are not given the depth or space needed to fully land. The result is a show that engages, but rarely hits with the force it promises.
There is a compelling piece at the centre of SMOKE. It just never quite reaches the intensity it is capable of.
SMOKE UK Tour Dates 2026
21–25 April 2026 - Omnibus Theatre, London
28 April 2026 - White Rock Theatre (Studio 27), Hastings
30 April 2026 - Ironworks Studios, Brighton
9 May 2026 - Norwich Theatre Royal (Stage Two), Norwich
12 May 2026 - The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
14 May 2026 - ARK, Margate
21 May 2026 - The Lowry, Salford
4 June 2026 - Hull Truck Theatre, Hull
12 June 2026 - Lighthouse, Poole
20 June 2026 - Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham
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