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This Is How I Got Arrested...

 
Nicholas Abrams Review by Nicholas Abrams 3 Published: 5 May 2026 The Actors - Theatre Show Dates: 2 May 2026-4 May 2026

There’s something inherently risky about putting the ending of your show in the title. It sets up a promise. Sitting down for This Is How I Got Arrested…, I found myself less concerned with what would happen, and more with how we would get there. As it turns out, the journey is energetic, engaging, and often very funny. The destination, however, is harder to pin down.

Energetic and engaging, even if it doesn’t quite stick the landing

Azaelia Slade’s one-woman show introduces Sophie, a young working-class woman recounting her upbringing, relationships, and eventual foray into smuggling drugs out of Ireland. It is delivered at pace, with frequent audience interaction. Various audience members are drafted in to play roles, giving the piece a sense of spontaneity that keeps it lively throughout.

Slade is a strong performer who brings a restless, engaging energy to the stage. The sequences from Sophie’s school years are effective, with well-observed details about friendships, family, and social pressures. Later episodes, including her time in Zantos, hint at a darker and more chaotic turn in the story.

The difficulty lies in the structure. The early sections take up a significant portion of the runtime, leaving the central premise feeling compressed. We spend a long time establishing Sophie’s background, but not quite enough time watching events build to a satisfying conclusion.

This becomes most apparent in the ending. An audience member is asked early on to set a timer for 58 minutes, and when it goes off, the show stops. It is a neat idea, but in practice it feels abrupt. The story does not quite reach a clear resolution, and the key moment suggested by the title, Sophie’s arrest, never arrives. It left a sense that part of the narrative is missing.

That said, the show is consistently entertaining. The audience interaction works well, and Slade’s performance holds everything together even when the script feels uneven. There is a clear comic voice and a strong sense of theatrical play.

This is an enjoyable hour with a compelling performer at its centre. With a tighter structure and a clearer ending, it could develop into something sharper. As it stands, it is a lively and engaging piece that does not quite deliver on its own premise.

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The Blurb:

"This Is How I Got Arrested... After Smuggling Drugs Across The Border But Never Actually Getting Caught With Any Drugs" is a hysterically funny, dark-humoured & courageous one woman show that breaks the fourth wall and leaves you questioning what is fact and what is fiction. Meet Sophie, a young girl from a working class world who takes the phrase "girls just wanna have fun" too far. This epic fast-paced story starts with tales from Sophie's upbringing, through to the moment of her arrest in a foreign country. Lies will be uncovered, stories will be told, and mischief will be coursed. All under the pressure of a ticking clock, only time will reveal the truth. Themes of Drug's Use, Toxic Femineity, Alcohol & Strong Language.