REVIEW - THESPIANS | HOME MANCHESTER | 08/06/2026

THESPIANS AT HOME MANCHESTER - A JOYFUL, CHAOTIC AND SURPRISINGLY HEARTFELT LOVE LETTER TO THEATRE ITSELF

With Thespians, currently playing at HOME Manchester as part of its UK tour, Mischief Theatre takes on a brand new challenge as they venture into musical theatre for the very first time. Given the company's track record for comedy, chaos and theatrical mayhem, it somehow feels like a move that was always going to happen eventually.

Few theatre companies have created a style quite as instantly recognisable as Mischief Theatre. From The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong to more recent productions such as The Comedy About Spies, audiences know exactly what they're signing up for whenever the company arrives in town.

Set in Ancient Greece in 534 BC, Thespians tells the story of the accidental invention of acting itself, combining Mischief's trademark humour with catchy songs, colourful characters and a surprisingly heartfelt story about empathy, friendship and storytelling.

It feels like a natural next step for a company that has spent the last decade celebrating the joy of theatre in all its forms.

The story follows the residents of the tiny Greek island of Ikaria, where life is becoming increasingly difficult as drought threatens the future of its small population.

When The Tyrant announces a competition to create a new prayer capable of pleasing the gods and saving Greece, five unlikely heroes find themselves travelling to Athens in search of a solution.

Along the way, they stumble across a revolutionary new idea — the ability to become somebody else entirely through performance and storytelling.

In other words, acting is born.

What follows is exactly the kind of joyful chaos audiences have come to expect from Mischief Theatre. There are Greek mythology puns, theatrical in-jokes, references to films and musicals and enough visual comedy to keep the audience laughing throughout the evening.

The HOME audience were clearly having a fantastic time, with laughter regularly breaking out across the auditorium.

Some of the biggest laughs come from the show's affectionate pokes at theatre itself, although newcomers won't feel left out of the joke.

Underneath all the silliness and slapstick, however, sits a genuinely lovely message about understanding one another and seeing the world from somebody else's perspective.

While I personally found the second act stronger than the first, with the show really finding its rhythm once the world and characters had been established, there is still plenty to enjoy throughout. The laughs come regularly and the cast are such enjoyable company that it is easy to forgive the slightly slower start.

Visually, Thespians is an absolute delight.

Jasmine Swan's set transforms HOME's stage into a colourful version of Ancient Greece, complete with marble-effect columns, towering arches and an impressive mosaic floor that immediately transports the audience to Ikaria.

The production embraces its theatrical roots, creating a world that feels playful, imaginative and larger than life while still allowing the comedy to remain front and centre.

David Howe's lighting design fills the stage with rich colours throughout the evening, shifting effortlessly between moments of spectacle and quieter character scenes while helping create the feeling of warm Mediterranean sunshine.

The costumes are enormous fun, particularly Adonis' hilariously exaggerated armour and The Tyrant's larger-than-life appearance, both of which fit perfectly with the show's playful sense of humour.

For a company making its first musical, the songs are surprisingly strong, with several numbers still stuck in my head on the journey home. As a musical theatre fan, one of my favourite moments came during "Old Man Tango", which felt like a loving nod to Chicago's iconic "Cell Block Tango". The number proved hugely popular with the HOME audience and was undoubtedly one of the comedic highlights of the evening.

Ed Zanders' score balances humour and heart beautifully, while the choreography fully embraces the show's wonderfully silly energy.

The cast throw themselves into the chaos with such enthusiasm and commitment that it becomes impossible not to be swept along with them.

James Spence leads the company as the ambitious and occasionally self-absorbed Thespis. Despite the character's flaws, Spence brings so much warmth and charm to the role that you cannot help but root for him, while his vocals are equally impressive.

Claire-Marie Hall provides the perfect counterpart as Poly, grounding the production with intelligence and warmth while delivering some of the evening's strongest vocals.

Luke Latchman is hugely likeable as Atlas, bringing kindness and sincerity to the role and delivering some of the show's sweetest moments.

Much of the evening's biggest laughter comes courtesy of Marc Pickering as Adonis, whose physical comedy and larger-than-life personality repeatedly bring the house down.

Mia Jerome is excellent as Melampus, bringing humour, warmth and authority to the group's elder.

Allie Dart and Matt Cavendish work tirelessly throughout as the Greek Chorus and an endless parade of additional characters. Their energy never dips and the pair are responsible for some of the evening's biggest laughs.

Rhys Taylor almost steals the show entirely as The Tyrant. With wonderfully camp delivery, impeccable comic timing and a larger-than-life presence, Taylor commands the stage whenever they appear.

Thespians at HOME Manchester may not quite reach the heights of Mischief Theatre's biggest hits just yet, but there is still plenty here to enjoy.

The cast are superb, the laughs come thick and fast and the move into musical theatre feels less like a gamble and more like a natural progression for the company.

With memorable songs, impressive visuals and enough theatrical in-jokes to keep regular theatre-goers smiling, Thespians delivers an entertaining evening that celebrates the joy of storytelling and performance.

For long-time Mischief fans there is more than enough familiar chaos to satisfy, while newcomers will find a funny, energetic and genuinely original new musical adventure.

Ancient Greece has never been this chaotic — or this much fun.

Thespians will be at HOME Manchester until Saturday, 18th July 2026. Tickets are available for purchase through the link provided below.

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For more information about the show, please click the button below to visit the official website.

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Photo Credit - Mark Senior

*Our tickets for this show were kindly gifted in exchange for an honest review.

https://youtu.be/4w7Qm1F-PlM?si=CToNiFyVIhu9j9tg