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He Said/She Said

 
Richard Beck Review by Richard Beck 5 Published: 25 Apr 2026 White Bear Show Dates: 21 Apr 2026-2 May 2026

An inspired piece of programming by director Claire Evans sees Misconduct by Dom Riley and Ladykiller by Madeline Gould paired in a double bill entitled He Said/She Said, at The White Bear Theatre.

This double bill is a stunning double treat

The concern with running two plays together by different authors, with separate casts, is that one will overshadow the other. That issue was heightened after the towering performance by Gwithian Evans as Richie in Misconduct. “Follow that,” was the thought that came to mind. It took no more than a highly charged entrance, with face, hands and clothing covered in blood, combined with the forceful delivery of opening lines, to demonstrate that Geebs Marie Williams as Her in Ladykiller was going to more than match the pre-interval show. Even though the gender of the actor, the location and the circumstances change, these plays and actors feel as though they were made to go together and be performed in this order. With the common theme of a knife attack occurring towards the end of Misconduct and at the opening of Ladykiller, it’s rather like picking up where we left off.

These are not plays tackling systemic knife crime and remain two very different works that are ultimately concerned with the exploration of two individuals, their mindsets and how a solitary act can change their lives for ever.

Male bonding and the challenges of friendship permeate Misconduct. Richie is distressed by the knowledge that his best mate at school is heading off to university, leaving him behind with lesser prospects and also breaking up the group. In a farewell outing they set out on the train to Leeds for a big away game. As their journey progresses, aggression and hooliganism emerge on the train and at Elland Road, before the fatal crime occurs almost out of nowhere and Richie is faced with the devastating consequences of an action which he underplays through self-deception. It’s a male story by a male writer.

Ladykiller, on the other hand, is about a female and is written by a female. It places the character known just as Her at the centre of a gruesome hotel murder. In a single frenzied act of grotesque violence her simple life as a chambermaid is destroyed. However, her attempts to rationalise her behaviour and the ideas she has for escaping detection reveal that she has deep-rooted psychological issues that form a disconnect between what she has done and its consequences. Like Richie, she creates a gulf between feeling guilt and the acceptance of responsibility.

Both actors sustain an impassioned level of performance that is truly remarkable. They are unyielding and unwavering in their commitment to the roles and exude breathtaking energy. Powerful direct addresses are balanced with moments of calmer introspection but, for the most part, with Evans we are carried along on both a literal and mental journey at breakneck speed and with Williams we are plunged into a fiery, fervent and vehement malaise of rage and delusion.

The intensity is heightened by the confines of The White Bear Theatre and its inescapable intimacy. Evans’ direction uses every inch of space, with movements darting in all directions, thus overcoming the complexity of seating on two sides at right angles to each other. Both actors engage with us at all times, wherever we might be seated. Meanwhile, Jan Giedroyc‘s evocative soundscape is timed with staggering precision to the phrasings and delivery of the scripts, raising the dramatic stakes even higher in harmony with the lighting direction and technical DSM work by Marta Fossati, who changes designer David Fitzhugh’s appropriately functional and unobtrusive set with an array of colours.              

This double bill is a stunning double treat.

Amir Nisi

Richard Beck

A graduate in theology and education, Richard acted and contributed to dance, drama and music productions throughout his teaching career. He joined Broadway Baby in 2014 and is now our Editor-in-Chief. He usually disappears to warmer climes for the winter to pursue his passion for travel.

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The Blurb:

MISCONDUCT by Dom Riley

Three mates off on one last big away day match. Then that’s it.

He said: I tell things how they are, right? … So, this is Everything. My side.

… the heat of the moment, the desire to smash something, anything, anyone up good and proper …. It’s beautiful, but not in the sort of way that you want to do it yourself, more the way that you want to see what it’s like, right there in real life. It’s difficult to explain.

Dom Riley’s cautionary tale - a runaway train ride to a life-changing moment.

LADYKILLER by Madeline Gould

A chambermaid. A murder.

She said: Lust. Gain. Power. Thrill. Be strong and dark on you own time, in secret.

Madeline Gould’s play grabs you by the throat and plunges a knife into the darkest recesses of a human psyche.

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