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The Unkillable Mike Malloy

 
Richard Beck Review by Richard Beck 3 Published: 12 Jul 2025 The Bridge House Theatre Show Dates: 9 Jul 2025-18 Jul 2025

Writer-director Luke Adamson says he's taken “a lot of creative licence” in the writing and staging of his latest play, The Unkillable Mike Malloy, at the Bridge House Theatre, Penge. However, the most remarkable thing is that it’s based on a bizarre true story.

They underestimated Malloy’s resilience

Michael Malloy (1873–1933), from Donegal, moved to New York City, where he ended up a homeless, unemployed alcoholic. It was the age of Prohibition. Five people took out a number of insurance policies on him through a corrupt agent, believing he was near death due to excessive drinking. One of the group owned a speakeasy and helped him on his way with an unlimited tab. But they underestimated Malloy’s resilience.

With increasing desperation, they tried adding antifreeze to his whiskey, then turpentine, horse liniment and rat poison – and finally, wood alcohol – all to no avail. Similarly, raw oysters soaked in wood alcohol and sandwiches of rotting sardines mixed with poison and carpet tacks achieved nothing. In desperation, they drenched him in water and abandoned him outdoors on a freezing cold night. The police found him and took him to a shelter. Then they had him run over by a taxi, which only broke a few bones and hospitalised him for a few weeks. Their final idea worked, but police suspicion, a questionable death certificate and attempts to claim the insurance led to their arrest.

Bryan Pilkington (Malloy) sustains a convincing drunken, folk-singing part, switching between costume and accent changes for several other characters. As a police officer, he is shocked to find the speakeasy run by a woman, Toni Marino. Stefani Ariza, however, leaves us in no doubt of her capabilities and control. Meanwhile, Will Croft narrates and plays gang member Francis Pasqua with period aplomb.

Prison cell scenes bookend the play, which is staged in the style of film noir, with appropriate sound and compositions from Dan Bottomley. The trio carry the story through some 85 minutes that should really be no more than 60. The repetitive nature of the various attempts to kill Malloy is interesting only to a point – and we already know the ending, although it comes with a little twist. While there are elements of black comedy and farce, no single style fully asserts itself above being a narrative tale, albeit an absurd one.

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The Blurb:

The Bridge House Theatre presents the world premiere of Luke Adamson’s darkly comic new play — The Unkillable Mike Malloy

From the award-winning team behind some of London's most acclaimed fringe productions comes a jaw-dropping true story you have to see to believe.

New York City, 1933.

The Great Depression has hit hard, and three down-on-their-luck businessmen hatch a chillingly clever plan: take out life insurance policies on a homeless Irish drunk named Mike Malloy... and then help fate along.

The problem?Mike won’t die.

Day after day, drink after drink, “Iron Mike” keeps coming back for more, baffling his would-be murderers and turning their scheme into a spiraling farce of failure, frustration, and increasingly bizarre attempts at foul play.

Told in the shadowy, stylish world of film noir - with tongue firmly in cheek - The Unkillable Mike Malloy is a thrilling theatrical rollercoaster: part black comedy, part true-crime caper, and entirely unforgettable.

Come for the laughs.Stay for the gasps.Witness the legend of the “Rasputin of the Bronx.”

PLEASE NOTE THERE IS NO PERFORMANCE ON SATURDAY 19TH JULY