The reviews are in for Night City, Max Wilkinson’s new play about three people working nights in London’s gig economy, which opened at the Southwark Playhouse Borough on 10 September. Jack Ambrose, Helena Pipe and Bex Smith play a minicab driver, a care worker and a waitress, and a crowd of other Londoners between them, in a ninety-minute piece directed by Ebenezer Bamgboye. Press night was on 11 September. Nearly every critic praises the three performances and Olivia Jamieson’s set of hanging, lit chains; they divide sharply on whether the writing can carry everything Wilkinson asks of it, and the courtroom scene that resolves the three stories is where most of them get off.
The verdict: nineteen reviews in so far, seventeen of them carrying a star rating — six four-star notices, one at three and a half, seven at three, one at two and a half and two at two, with British Theatre Guide and On In London publishing no rating at all. The average across the rated notices is 3.2 out of 5. Nearly all of them praise the same two things, the three-strong cast and Olivia Jamieson’s chain-hung set. Where they part company is Max Wilkinson’s plotting, and the courtroom scene that ties the three stories together is what most of them keep coming back to.
What are critics saying about Night City?
BroadwayWorld
“This new play centres the lives of London's gig economy workers”
Reviewer: Clementine Scott
“Olivia Jamieson’s set, and Arnim Friess’ lighting and video design, are immersive without ever being distracting. Characters weave in and out of chains hanging from the ceiling, as flashes of light highlight the divisions and shifting power dynamics between them. Rose Ryan’s movement direction lends an elegance to the abrupt transitions between episodes, but also has a violence to it; characters don’t merely dance, but attack, chase, run away from each other.”
LondonTheatre1
Reviewer: Alan Fitter
“The performances are uniformly superb and entirely believable. Ambrose’s Jack is Scottish, rough around the edges and prone to excess; Smith’s Tia is northern, scrappy and vulnerable; while Pipe’s Tamara is a Londoner, softer, more fragile and seemingly at the end of her tether. All three slip effortlessly between characters and move beautifully. As an added bonus, Pipe sings like a dream – her rendition of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow sent shivers down my spine.”
West End Best Friend
Reviewer: Stephanie Osztreicher
“The play picks up its groove as it travels and becomes a ride through London, moving between the lives of people who are often invisible within it. 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.”
Read Stephanie Osztreicher’s full review at West End Best Friend
ReviewsGate
“A night to remember”
Reviewer: William Russell
“After dark people work hard, sometimes play hard, and are all looking for something better in life which they seem destined never to find. It is not all gloom – there are some very funny moments, and Helen Pipe's Tamara occasionally sings something beautifully. Life is grim but sometimes something goes well. It is a hugely impressive play which deserves to fill the Little to the brim for its run – and a longer life somewhere too. It is quite simply a night to remember.”
LouReviews
Reviewer: Louise Penn
“Although I appreciate much of this was inspired by Wilkinson’s own working experience, the cumulative effect can be overwhelming and dilute some of the important stories. A couple of characters (Scatter, Tamara’s son; Pfizer, the kinky pop star) don’t add that much.”
“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.”
Musical Theatre Musings
Reviewer: Sarah McPartlan
“Ultimately, Night City is an ambitious new play that succeeds in bringing three very different lives together whilst keeping its central commentary on the gig economy firmly in focus. Wilkinson’s writing and Bamgboye’s direction create a production that moves at an impressive pace, whilst the cast’s ability to shift between characters keeps the storytelling constantly engaging. Although some of the physical direction occasionally distracts from the writing, there is plenty here to admire, and Night City offers a thought-provoking look at what happens when the systems we rely on begin to put profit ahead of people.”
Read Sarah McPartlan’s full review at Musical Theatre Musings
London Pub Theatres
“a well-crafted new play, driven by packed dialogue, clear direction and a versatile cast.”
Reviewer: Namoo Chae Lee
“The difficulty is that, despite this exciting dynamic, the production does not feel like it travels very far. The same heightened rhythm established at the beginning continues almost until the end. The pace initially creates excitement, but without sufficient variation it gradually becomes repetitive, leaving little room for silence, tension or genuine surprise.”
“There is plenty happening in Night City, both narratively and visually, but its relentless momentum ultimately works against it. This is an energetic and skilfully executed production that vividly captures the pressures of precarious urban life.”
London Box Office
Reviewer: Stuart King
“Design misgivings aside, the players acquit themselves with some grace, imbuing characterisations which morph with the adoption of a baseball cap, a scarf or a change in vocal delivery. Initially, the swirl of changes is discombobulating but gradually settles, allowing some of the pithier lines to land as taxi driver Jack, waitress Tia, and care giver Tamara interact with various needy misfits and charlatans who come in and out of their collective orbit. While the three main threads don’t exactly coalesce into a fully integrated whole, there is a genuine sense that the playwright has worked to weave them. By the end there is even a feeling of audience empathy and investment in the plight of those characters who struggle to survive in a metropolis which so often chews-up and spits-out its less fortunate and worldly-wise inhabitants.”
North West End
Reviewer: Stewart
“Wilkinson is a skilled writer and Night City has sharp and hilarious one liners throughout, but the play felt more complex than it needed to be. Sometimes it was a challenge to keep up with all the characters, which ultimately made it difficult to feel empathy for them. The actors did a fine job of playing so many parts, it’s just a lot to ask of the audience. The topics addressed in Night City are hugely important and rarely discussed, so Wilkinson deserves credit for bringing them to the stage. The playwright’s decision to conclude Night City with a fatality, but also a crowd-pleasing happy ending felt unlikely. Late-stage capitalism does not favour the worker, the planet or humanity itself. Night City seems aware of this reality but somehow missed its target.”
Plays To See
Reviewer: Jad Adams
“There is excellent characterisation from all the actors who play not only all three main characters but also the supporting roles in energetic performances on a stage bare except for chains around which are wrapped neon strips, to emphasise the imprisoning but glittering nature of life in London.”
“The plot protrudes rather than fits in with these character moments. It relates to The Workers’ Bill which will give rights to those in the gig economy, and the attempts by the employers to stop campaigners agitating for it. This is the least successful part of this enjoyable production.”
Theatre and Tonic
Reviewer: Amelia
“At its heart, Night City has a really important message about how we treat people and the impact that our actions can have on those around us, and I think that message really hits home. I thought the script was well written overall, although there were moments where I found the direction of the story somewhat predictable. Unfortunately, despite there being plenty to admire within the production, the play didn’t quite resonate with me as much as I had hoped. By the end, I was left without that overall sense of accomplishment that I was looking for, perhaps due to a slight disconnect with the script itself.”
Salterton Arts Review
Reviewer: Erin Caswell
“I saw this both in the writing and in some of Ebenezer Bamgboye’s directorial choices. There are moments of genius in the writing of some of the characters – Gigi, for instance, is a consistent scene-stealer – but the odd line drifts towards cliché. I was also not able to suspend my disbelief quite enough for the final court scenes. I wanted the judge to get a grip on her courtroom. In terms of the direction, the choice to stage several conversations with one actor centrally located and the other walking the perimeter of the set diluted, in my opinion, opportunities for the actors to react to each other in the moment.”
London Theatre Reviews
“An electric drama portraying real experiences of modern work-city life”
Reviewer: Cara-Louise Scott-Lapish
“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.”
“The actors do a brilliant job of bringing their characters and these stories to life. While the constant movement and sporadic scene shifts feel slightly overdone at the start, the electrifying integration of movement, music, and exceptional stage design makes this debut play stand out among new productions detailing modern struggles.”
Read Cara-Louise Scott-Lapish’s full review at London Theatre Reviews
Pink Prince Theatre
“All gear, no engine”
Reviewer: Neill Kovacic-Clarke
“Finally, I have to say that the cast were exceptional. Jack Ambrose, Helena Pipe, and Bex Smith are a gloriously strong ensemble. While they each anchor the play with their brilliant main roles, they also have to juggle an absolute whirlwind of minor characters. The way they multi-role seamlessly - switching accents, postures, and energies in the blink of an eye - is an absolute masterclass to watch. They bring an unbelievable amount of energy and heart to the space, holding the audience in the palm of their hands even when the narrative gets a bit messy.”
“As strong as most of the production values are, they just couldn't take my mind away from the writing. It's worth seeing for the visuals and the fantastic performances, but be warned, the writing struggles to be anything more than wafer thin.”
Read Neill Kovacic-Clarke’s full review at Pink Prince Theatre
The Reviews Hub
“Too much drama”
Reviewer: Richard Maguire
“Writer Max Wilkinson lays it on thick in his study of three people trying to survive the gig economy. There is one pregnancy, two dodgy hearts and three deaths; one fatal allergy, two car crashes, and three hospitals; and not least, one miraculous recovery. Outside of medical emergencies, there is industrial whistleblowing, sexual harassment and company takeovers. All of these issues come to a head in a final American-style court case. It’s all too dramatic.”
All That Dazzles
“Solid performances and atmospheric sound meet with fractured writing and relentless physicality in a messy production”
Reviewer: Phil McCullough
“Overall, Night City feels messy, with too many characters, short scenes and not enough depth. There is far too much physicality and not enough stillness, and I feel that allowing the actors to stay in the moment for longer would have helped many of the scenes work far better. There are some interesting points about the way low-paid gig economy workers are treated, and the production clearly has something to say about the realities of life in London. At times, though, it feels a little clichéd, without enough nuance or depth to really make these ideas hit home. The stories are there, but I wanted more time with the characters and more space for the drama to breathe.”
British Theatre Guide
Reviewer: Rebecca Clifton
“Wilkinson’s writing is wonderful and unique. We get long stretches of dialogue, then narrative moments that read like a novel. At pivotal moments, the characters feel removed from their environment as they describe the scenery and sensation, like spoken word. Wilkinson reinforces this narrative style in his descriptions of London and the literary greats that have roamed its streets, such as Dickens and Orwell. The London that many imagine in their mind's eye is a Dickensian one. A dark, foggy scene of poverty, full of down-and-out characters hiding in every alley, is a quintessential vision of London. But moreover, Dickens’s London grapples with utilitarianism over empathy and so too does Night City.”
On In London
Reviewer: Caitlin Neal
“At under 90 minutes, the narrative leans heavily into melodrama: medical emergencies, car crashes, a miracle, and a courtroom scene that arrives abruptly and feels more like television than theatre. These moments pull focus away from the gig‑economy themes the play claims to explore. Although employment rights, low wages, zero‑hour contracts and whistleblowing are touched on, they aren’t explored in depth. Scenes are often short, shifting rapidly before we can really get into the stories.”
Production photographs by Lidia Crisafulli.
Also reviewed by: The Stage (Paul Vale, two stars, “Erratic”), whose review sits behind a paywall. Its verdict — “Promising drama is bogged down by a fussy production” — is public, and is counted in the figures above.
For more of what the critics have been saying this month, read our roundups of Tartuffe (Remixed) at the Marylebone Theatre and The Children at the Lyric Hammersmith.
Night City runs at the Southwark Playhouse Borough until Saturday 3 October 2026, in the theatre’s smaller auditorium, The Little.
