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How To Kill Your Landlord

 
Roger Kay Review by Roger Kay 2 Published: 13 Aug 2025 Bedlam Theatre Show Dates: 30 Jul 2025-25 Aug 2025

To say there is a housing crisis in Britain is something of an understatement, with successive governments proving unwilling or unable to reverse a generationally disturbing trend. Rents have spiralled beyond affordability, especially in city centres. The tightening of lending criteria following the banking crisis, along with the inability to save for a deposit, have proven to be stubborn barriers to homeownership.

Incredulity is simply stretched too far, too often.

Resentment has grown, therefore, towards the wealth division, and a perception has emerged of parasitical owners subduing an entire generation. Which brings us to How To Kill Your Landlord.

Burke (Robbie Fletcher-Hill), Harriet (Frankie Weatherby), and Joq (Elijah Khan) live in a flat, seemingly at the whim of their landlord, Archie (John Gregor). The apartment appears to breach swathes of housing law. There is also the suggestion that Archie conned Joq’s grandmother out of the flat, fuelling their sense of grievance. When Archie lets himself in unannounced and verbally gives them one week’s notice to quit, they decide to murder him.

What follows is a series of absurdist, slapstick events, with a sold-out Bedlam crowd enjoying the antics.

The performers are clearly talented, with Weatherby in particular delivering a measured performance. However, the script lets them down, giving them precious little to push against. Setting aside the decades of housing law being ignored in this premise, incredulity is simply stretched too far, too often, in this production. With some rework, there is a decent piece of comedy theatre here, and the theme of generational disgruntlement is definitely ripe for exploration.

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The Blurb:

How To Kill Your Landlord is a fatal comedy of errors focusing on three young housemates... Burke, a former student activist, living from paycheck to paycheck. Harriet, a freelance yoga instructor desperate to corner the yummy mummy market. And Joq, a crypto bro forever on the hunt for his new side hustle. Though seemingly polar opposites, all three are united in their contempt for chauvinistic landlord Archie, who has just decided to evict them! Taking a lead from Crime and Punishment, the trio put dark plans into motion, with hilarious and deadly consequences...