Theatre review: Knock Yourself Out

Writer Tom Holloway takes on the role of Roger

Tom Holloway captures the mood of a generation with his spot on portrayal of three graduates as they struggle to find their way in life, in new play Knock Yourself Out, now on at The Courtyard Theatre, Shoreditch.

In this funny, poignant and, at times, dark play, the audience is welcomed into the front room of Roger, Jono and Billy’s student digs as the lads continue to drink, party, take drugs, and generally continue with their hedonistic student lifestyle, with its associated highs and lows, before being forced to face up to reality.   

You witness the nuances of their complicated friendships and love lives, as well as the many and varied consequences of a Jagermeister and fine wine-fuelled game of ring of fire.  It will warm your heart as it takes you back to your own student days, as you sympathise with the plight of these three young men, struggling to work out what to do next.  It may make you yearn for your student days, but a part of you will surely be glad you don’t have to return to those uncertain times.

The cast is superb, with familiar faces from This is England, Spooks, and Hollyoaks.  You can’t help but feel a soft spot for lovable Jono (Joe Sowerbutts) as his heart is played with by Carrie (Jenni Herzberg).  Roger (Tom Holloway) is central to the play, and you will find yourself simulatenously delighting and despairing at his many errors in judgement, and sympathising with his long-suffering flatmates as a result.   

The play will no doubt remind many of their university days

The graduates' love lives are laid bare in Holloway's play

Billy (Paul Tinto) is the much-needed voice of reason in this otherwise somewhat dysfunctional threesome, and the only one attempting to further his education by undertaking a master’s degree.  His brutal Scottish honesty often brings his less realistic friends back to earth with a bump, and you may well cringe as he describes in detail what happened in Amsterdam…!  Ginny (Danielle Watson) and Nicola (Lucy Telleck) enter later into the play, and a burgeoning romance between Nicola and Roger makes you wonder if he’ll be ok after all.

The intimacy of the theatre makes you feel so involved in the characters’ lives, and you can see every expression on every actor’s face as you are so close to the action.  This is an absolute must see but, top tip:  don’t take Granny, unless you are confident that she is comfortable with talk of deviant sexual behaviour and flagrant use of the c-word.

We were treated with excellent hospitality James Warren / Photoshot

Knock Yourself Out is on 7^th – 24^th March at The Courtyard Theatre, Shoreditch.  Tickets £16.50, £12.50 for concessions.

Click here for more information and to book tickets.

Written and produced by Tom Holloway, directed by Becky Catlin.

Feel grand on The Strand

It's not easy to escape the hustle and bustle of The Strand in London, but when you manage to find a nice little gem to relax in, it should be treasured.

And that's exactly what The Coal Hole public house is.

Right on the main through-fare, The Coal Hole is inconspicuous from the outside, but majestic and traditional on the inside. While there is no promise of speedy service at the bar on entering due to its location and popularity with workers as well as tourists, the waiting time lends a chance to admire the surroundings.

The peri peri chicken wings were certainly a sizzling treat

We were met by the welcoming Vitas, who advised us that our table downstairs was ready when we were. I decided to sample a pint of Nutty Black, from the Thwaites Brewery. I was met by a smooth, chocolatey delight, with a slight hint of toffee apple!

Upon finishing my pint, we were showed downstairs to our corner booth table by Vitas, and told that waitress Egle would be looking after us. As she handed our menus over with a cheery smile, I was looking forward to some good old British fare!

The salmon starter was sufficient and fresh-tasting

I decided on the peri peri chicken wings for starter, while my partner went for the smoked salmon with dill. The chicken was suitably seasoned which is often taken for granted, and the meat was tender and juicy. I was left wishing I had gone for the larger portion (£7.95) as for £4.95, could have been more.

My partner commented that the salmon had a lovely flavour, and unlike in some restaurants, it was more melt-in-your mouth than chewy, and the portion of fish was suitable for a starter.

The rich and 'special treat' of venison sausages and mash

After consuming my spicy selection, for main course I plumped, by popular opinion, for the premium line cod fillet. I say popular opinion as the research I carried out prior to this review saw me stumble upon endless recommendations to try this house favourite.

I also decided on a pint of Jaipur ale, from the Thornbridge Brewery, apparently a house special, on the recommendation of Egle. The ale was crisp and refreshing, and seemed like a perfect accompaniment to my fish dish.

Sourced using sustainable fishing methods, the fillet is hand- battered in the company's own Nicholson’s Pale Ale and served with skin on chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce. As a northerner, I like to think I know a thing or two about decent fish and chips (The Wetherby Whaler being a local favourite)

And I had the only complaint I had here was that there wasn't enough chips on my plate! The fish was juicy and the batter cooked to a perfect crisp with no doughy bits in sight. The chips were hot, and the side of mushy peas was must for such a delightful dish.

My partner selected the venison sausages and mash. Three venison and red wine sausages served on
creamy mashed potato, topped off with homemade onion rings and redcurrant jelly. Again, there were no complaints on this one either. The gravy was flavoursome, which added to the rich texture of the fine sausages.

The fish and chips is now recommended by me as well as many other previous diners!

Unfortunately we were too full for dessert, which may have come as a pleasant surprise to Egle as the restaurant was certainly filling up and she appeared to be very busy.

All in all we had no complaints about the food, service or venue, and thoroughly enjoyed our visit to The Coal Hole. However we would like to make some observations.

While not being unique to The Coal Hole, there is a lack of lighter options on the main menu. While this rarely, if ever, affects me, it could be an issue to some. Eating at The Coal Hole, we found, was a bit of a treat. It was a time to ignore 'calorie-content', to kick back with a nice pint of house ale, and rest our weary feet. I would advise when making a booking or eating at this venue to take a similar stance, so as to fully appreciate the fine British food on offer.

Saturday night diners tuck in to some good quality British food

Also, prospective diners/drinkers should be aware that the venue is likely to be busy at most times during the week and at weekends, due to its central location, close to Charing Cross, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. So no clicking your fingers here please!

Scores on the doors (out of 10)

Setting -8
Service -9
Quality of food -9
Cleanliness and decor -8

Total score  - 34/40

To make a booking for The Coal Hole, click here