Argos Archives by Sabrina Mahfouz. Omnibus Theatre, Clapham Common North Side, London SW4 until 15 March 2025, 4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Lidia Crisafulli.

Argos Archives by Sabrina Mahfouz. Omnibus Theatre, Clapham Common North Side, London SW4 until 15 March 2025,

4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

“Stimulating, liberating.”

Woman is turning 30. She is seeking a job, her dream job, at Argos – the catalogue is a structured thing, woman is neuro divergent and autistic. She cannot sit still. She wants the job to please her son and is helped by her friends Archives, who loves to be organised, and Argos, a mythical-hundred eyed all-seeing giant to face up to getting it. The trio start to investigate that catalogue. The play is said to be an an inclusive experience for both neurodivergent and neurotypical audiences and on press night, a relaxed performance, people were free to do whatever they wished – interrupt or leave and return. All the performances will be relaxed, and during the run there will be evenings when people hesitant about attending or going to a theatre for the first time can meet before hand in the theatre bar to meet members of Futures Theatre and to join after the show in a Q&A session. Being neither neurodivergent nor neurotypical and not a woman the play does present problems when it comes to reviewing it but quite clearly Mahfouz has crafted an impressive evening from the work she has done with Futures Theatre over several years – it was interrupted by Covid - which should prove a stimulating and liberating experience for its intended audience and an interesting one for the likes of me. Shakira Newton, who is neurodivergent, has a commanding presence as Woman and gets strong support from Jess Gough and Eleanor Nawal as those friends who may be real or just imagined. I cannot say I found it liberating but it was certainly stimulating and the Omnibus theatre is itself a most welcoming a space for any audience.

Cast

Shakira Newton – Woman

Jess Gough -Archives

Eleanor Nawal – Argos

Creatives

Director – Caroline Bryant

Movement Director – Lati Saka

Video Designer – Charli Davis, Sophie Bramley

Sound Designer – Jamie Lu

Set & Costume Designer – Lu Herbert

Lighting Designer – Rachel Sampley.