Monkeyface lands with focus, force, and a sense of truth that feels immediate. The world it builds inside a cramped university bedroom hits with a sharper edge. The air is thick with late-night noise, early morning panic, and the pressure to act like everything is fine. The character at the centre of the story tries to hold it together while Freshers’ week pulls in every direction. The result is a play that sits close to the skin and refuses to let go. University is sold as a place where answers appear. Monkeyface shows the opposite. It exposes the gap between the glossy promise and the lived reality. For a mixed-race gay student, that gap is wide. The play makes that clear without softening the impact. It follows the character through lecture corridors, shared kitchens, and nights out that leave him wondering if he is part of the scene or standing at the edge. These moments build tension without volume. They build it through the quiet truth of feeling judged, ignored, or simply unseen.
The first trip to Heaven becomes a turning point. The anticipation is high. The stories about the place echo from older friends. Then the character steps into the famous R and B room and realises it functions more like an R and a bit room. The joke cuts through the noise and shows the gap between expectation and reality. It gives the audience a hit of humour while keeping the tension alive. It captures the awkward thrill of entering a long-talked-about queer space for the first time and trying to act like you belong while your heart is pounding. Monkeyface thrives on these shifts. One moment, the character feels bold and ready. The next moment, he is back in his room staring at the ceiling while the joy drains away. The play does not overstate the drama. It lets the truth play out through small interactions that sting. Toxic friendships reveal themselves through hints that land harder than expected. A sharp comment. A moment of dismissal. A sudden cold shoulder. The audience feels the shift each time. Nothing needs to be exaggerated for the tension to rise. Racism appears in the story with the blunt impact it deserves. The play does not turn it into a long speech. It shows how a single remark can hit deeper than anyone else realises. It shows how these moments stack up. The character tries to shake it off. He tries to focus on the party, the friends, the rush of the night. The weight remains. The play keeps this pressure close and honest.
Mental health sits in the centre of everything. The show handles it with precision. It lets the character’s mind spiral without turning it into spectacle. It captures the restless nights and the empty days. It captures the fear of telling the truth to anyone. The tension grows as he tries to hold himself together while each new social situation pushes him further out of balance. The audience stays with him through every dip and every forced smile. Loneliness rises throughout the piece. Not the dramatic, isolated-on-a-hilltop type people imagine. The real version. The kind that takes over a room after a night out. The kind that makes you check your phone again even though you know nothing is there. Monkeyface treats this feeling with seriousness. It lets the audience sit inside that silence long enough to understand its pull. When connection finally arrives, even in small forms, it hits hard.
As a debut, Raphael Phillips brings control, clarity, and a sharp sense of rhythm. Director Mojola Akinyemi shapes the performance with a strong pace. Danielle Adéyínká Uchè guides the space through lighting and stage management. Joe Harrington designs sound that switches from club noise to bedroom quiet with confidence. Producer Emmanuel Akwafo supports the entire piece with structure and intention. Monkeyface deserves a full room. It speaks directly to anyone who has tried to survive student life while carrying questions about identity. It grips the audience from the first moment in that small bedroom and holds steady until the final breath. Don’t miss this groundbreaking production at Riverside Studios, January 8th to 10th 2026.
