Review: KENREX at Southwark Playhouse Borough

Jack Holden’s Kenrex has returned to the stage in a London transfer, now captivating audiences at Southwark Playhouse Borough after a critically acclaimed debut at Sheffield Theatres. 

Co-written by Holden and director Ed Stambollouian, it brings the chilling true story of Ken Rex McElroy to life. McElroy, a notorious bully who terrorized the small town of Skidmore, Missouri in the late 1970s and early 1980s, met his end in a dramatic act of vigilante justice. With its unique blend of true crime and Western genres, Kenrex offers the audience an astonishing evening of theatre.

The play unfolds on Anisha Fields’ set which combines recording studio with mid-western rural America, replete with advertising hoarding. It’s here that Holden embodies over a dozen characters, from Skidmore’s beleaguered townsfolk to McElroy himself. 

The depth of character and detailed nuance that Holden instils in each character is astounding. Kenrex feels like a play with a full cast, but it’s Holden’s enigmatic tour-de-force carrying the whole thing. 

Jack Holden’s stunning performance in Kenrex demonstrates a remarkable versatility as an actor, building on the success of Olivier-nominated Cruise. In which Holden captivated audiences with a high-energy portrayal of Michael and an array of vibrant characters from 1980s Soho, delivering an intensely physical and emotionally charged performance that celebrated queer resilience during the AIDS crisis. 

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If Cruise was a celebration of life and community amidst tragedy, Kenrex delves into darker territory, exploring themes of fear, justice, and collective accountability and Holden deftly shifts gears to embody the sinister and morally complex world of Ken Rex McElroy.

This story is punctuated by a live Americana soundtrack composed and performed by John Patrick Elliott, whose haunting melodies evoke the dusty plains of rural America.

Through interviews, court transcripts, radio broadcasts, and the help of County Prosecutor, David Baird, the audience pieces together the events leading up to McElroy’s shocking murder in broad daylight—a crime witnessed by dozens yet pinned on no one.

The live Americana soundtrack, along with sound design from Giles Thomas, is integral to the play’s atmosphere, immersing the audience in its rural Midwest setting while amplifying the emotional weight of the story. 

The sound design surrounds the audience, enveloping them in the feel of Skidmore, while the music evokes the dusty plains of Missouri through its raw and unpolished quality, while grounding the narrative in its cultural and geographical context, serving as auditory cues, transporting viewers to Skidmore’s tense, isolated community.

It’s a testament to Holden and Ed Stambollouian’s storytelling prowess that this high energy production grips the audience from start to finish, while the visual appeal of Kenrex makes it a modern marvel of a thriller. 

Listings and ticket information can be found here