Review of What Would Jarvis Do? at the Omnimus Theatre, Clapham Common, October 2026.
What Would Jarvis Do? brought me to Omnibus Theatre for my first ever press night, and I couldn’t have asked for a more intriguing introduction to the experience than an absurd comedy about grief, fandom and a pair of potentially priceless yellow trousers.
Written by Laura Grillo and directed by Maiya Pascouche, the play follows best friends and devoted Jarvis Cocker fans Didi and GG, whose quest to track down a pair of possibly genuine yellow trousers quickly spirals into something far stranger. What begins as a playful comedy gradually becomes a story about grief, memory and the relentless ways our minds try to make sense of loss. As the narrative loops back on itself and reality becomes increasingly slippery, the play explores what happens when someone is left trying to organise thoughts and feelings that stubbornly refuse to fit into neat boxes.
Searching for Answers
The characters are eccentric, walking the line between comedy, absurdity and emotional weight. There was a sense that each was trapped inside a mind working overtime, searching for answers and resolution that never quite arrive. Annabel Smith (Didi) and Izzy Butt (GG) anchor the piece with warmth, energy and believable chemistry, carrying the audience through the increasingly chaotic world around them.
A very late cast change due to bereavement meant that Maggie Daniels performed Ms Lacy on book. While this was somewhat distracting, particularly in such an intimate setting, Daniels nevertheless delivered a commanding performance and deserves credit for stepping into the role under difficult circumstances.
The production embraces the script’s repetition and instability, creating a world that feels constantly in motion. Scene changes were perhaps a little slower than ideal at times, but the resulting sense of disorder ultimately felt in keeping with the piece. In the intimate studio space, the action often felt startlingly close. Sitting on the front row, I even found myself having to dodge a flying banana skin.
The Mental Experience of Grief
What I wasn’t expecting was quite how effectively the play would capture the mental experience of grief. The full vs empty head I’ve spoken about before; the endless circling of thoughts; the desperate attempt to find meaning in events that may not have any obvious meaning at all. It presents grief not as a tidy emotional journey but as something repetitive, exhausting and relentless. While I occasionally found myself wishing for a little more background or some clearer resolution to help make sense of it all, I also understood that this frustration was partly the point. This is a play that leaves space for interpretation, asking the audience to do some of the work themselves. My A Level English Literature brain certainly got more of a workout than it has in years.
This is not a play you go to for easy entertainment. It is a play that makes you think, wonder and shift in your seat. That’s not to say straightforward storytelling is any less artistic, but there is something rewarding about theatre that trusts its audience to sit with ambiguity. Even 24 hours later, I find myself continuing to turn over its questions and images in my mind.
Funny, strange, challenging and deeply thought-provoking, What Would Jarvis Do? is an exploration of what grief does to our thoughts when certainty is no longer available. It may not provide all the answers, but if theatre is meant to make us think and feel rather than simply entertain, this production succeeds admirably.
Book tickets via Omnibus Theatre.
Mini review on instagram.
A gifted press night ticket courtesy of GingerBread Agency. All thoughts my own.