Anne is tired. Tired of menopause. Tired of working in a dying NHS. And tired of her lazy sexist husband Don. But they’ve been together twenty-nine years. They know each other inside out. They’ve survived so much.
Then COVID plunges the country into lockdown, forcing them to isolate together. After all, the home is a place of safety… isn’t it?
As the world falls apart outside, Anne and Don’s marriage slowly falls apart inside. But soon there will be a solution. Won’t there?
Jab, inspired by true events, is a black comedy drama exploring power, gender, domestic violence, conspiracy theories, ignorance, and the limits of love.
First performed at the Finborough Theatre London (Neil McPherson, Artistic Director) where it received five star reviews and OffWestEnd Award Nominations for Best New Play, Best Director and Best Duo Performance, Jab is written by James McDermott (Time & Tide, Park Theatre), directed by Scott Le Crass (Rose, Park Theatre) and stars Kacey Ainsworth (Leaves Of Glass, Park Theatre) & Liam Tobin (Boys From The Black Stuff, National Theatre).
In the press
‘A well sketched portrait of a couple brought to the brink’
The Guardian
★★★★★ ‘Jab is going to be the COVID related play against which all others are measured’
London Theatre 1
★★★★ ‘McDermott’s writing is effortlessly understated and beautifully realised’
All That Dazzles
★★★★ ‘This is an accomplished piece of writing, deftly delivered by the cast and director’
Theatre Weekly
★★★★ ‘A unique two-hander that follows the breakdown of a relationship, and of society, in tandem’
Spy In The Stalls
★★★★ ‘Subtle and nuanced performances that are a joy to watch… Jab has the power to resonate with all’
North West End
★★★★ ‘An important and timely reminder of the impact of COVID on our lives and our relationships’
Everything Theatre
★★★★ ‘A play steeped in accuracy from a period in our lifetime that we hopefully never experience again’
Theatre & Arts Review
★★★★ ‘A finely written account of a marriage falling apart under the strains of lockdown’
Reviews Gate
★★★★ ‘This is a timely reflection of the individuals behind the statistics that are coming to define Covid’
Morning Star
★★★★ ‘Dark and comedic in all the right places’
Theatre & Tonic
Cast
ANNE | KACEY AINSWORTH
DON | LIAM TOBIN
Creative Team
WRITER | JAMES MCDERMOTT
DIRECTOR | SCOTT LE CRASS
PRODUCER | SUE POMROY
Artwork by Jazz Finnis.
Sue Pomroy in association with Park Theatre presents
Jab
Written by James McDermott, Directed by Scott Le Crass