Author Archives: Nick Hennegan

Writer and creator of The London Literary Pub Crawl.com. and a few plays. BohemianBritain.com. Event and Theatre Producer. Done quite a bit on the wireless too!

Latest exciting USA, Edinburgh and London News…!

Hi all

Welcome to the latest Maverick news.

We’re in the USA, Edinburgh and most importantly, with the People! 

We’ve just launched the SECOND Maverick People’s Theatre Company. A new concept where ANYONE who wants to get involved in theatre – on stage, front of house, admin, marketing or backstage – can do so and receive top professional training – for FREE!

No experience needed – just a desire to be involved in a show!

We’re trying to raise the funds to make this happen. The local authority have said they’ll support us financially if enough people are interested, so if you’ve got even just a couple of quid, you could make a massive difference to the accessible theatre scene! There are more details on our website HERE if you’d like to get involved.

We’re not in Kansas, Toto…

But Nick Hennegan will be! After success in London and at the Edinburgh Fringe last summer, he’s been invited to create and perform ‘The First Kansas City (Not London) Literary Pub Crawl’ in Kansas City, Mo. in July! 

And talking of the Literary Pub Crawl…

Yep… we’re at the Edinburgh Fringe again in August!

After the sell-out success of The First Edinburgh (NOT LONDON) Literary Pub Crawl last year, Nick is back at the world’s biggest open arts festival. 

CHRIS JOHNSON on Facebook 

“Nick’s tour was so much fun! If you are at the Fringe this year, I’d say it’s a must-do.” Further information and tickts

A Ghost of A Chance has finished in London. But it may soon be haunting a Kitchen near you!

The Creative Crew from A Ghost of A Chance, at The Tabard Theatre, London. 

Left, Juliet Ibberson (Tammy) centre, Nick Hennegan, (Writer and Director) and right, Greg Snowden (Bob).

Writer and Director Nick Hennegan said “It was very intense, recreating a show I wrote 20-odd years ago. It won a Guinness award through the National Theatre and was directed by the genius John Adams and featured  Paul Henry (Benny from Crossroads) as Bob and the lovely Justyn Luke Towler as Tim, Bob’s son. This time, Tim became Tammy and we had a Daddy/Daughter rather than Daddy/Son relationship. It was intense and brilliant working with Juliet and Greg and I still miss them. We’re looking at a national tour next year. 

I’m also re-writing the book about the original production to include a history of Maverick. You can pre-order (and get free tickets to the launch parties!) at my site. www.NickHennegan.com 

A few recent Reviews of A Ghost of A Chance.

***** Book It! See It! Applaud It! A brilliant show and my oh my.. the cast are superb!

Chiswick W4

Who doesn’t like a well told spine chiller? Well, there’s a fine example at the Tabard right now in the form of A Ghost of a Chance,

Chiswick Calendar 

An absorbing, entertaining play, full of originality 

The Stage

Nick has also been asked to host an event in September at the Chiswick Book Festival! Called  ‘London’s Lost Pubs’. Details to follow soon! Hic!

We’re so grateful to have you with us and excited for what’s ahead. Thanks so much!

Maverick Theatre Company

Falcon House,

Suit 3, First Floor Front, 

141-143 King Street

London W6 9JG

Theatre Review: Curious but cute.

Red Peppers by Noel Coward and Aged in Wood by Cian Griffin

Theatre At The Tabard

2 Bath Road
London
W4 1LW

🍷🍷🍷🍷 – 4 out of 5 glasses of fine claret! (Or Opening Night Champagne!)

The latest offering at the brilliant Tabard Theatre is Director Jason Moore’s double bill, which pairs Noel Coward’s 30-minute theatrical two-act play, Red Peppers (actually, more a sketch than a play), with Aged in Wood, a new, comedic work by Cian Griffin. Set in the same provincial theatre dressing room, 90 years apart, both pieces offer a glimpse into a difficult day for has-been actors, onstage and off, with bitching, bickering, and banter. To be be brutally honest, not a lot happens in either play – they are a bit light on plot – but it’s another example of the Tabard Theatre programming ‘against trend’ and it proves a strangely amusing and entertaining night out. You’ll ‘lovey’ it!

And the performances are great too. Red Peppers manages to capture the grimy, fading world of second-rate music hall. It was written by Noel Coward to specifically showcase the singing and dancing skills of himself and wife Gertrude Lawrence. The music-hall double act of George Pepper (played by Jon Osbaldeston) and his wife, Lily (Jessica Martin) have been delivering the same song and comedy routine for 15 years, much of it inherited from George’s father! Things are not too good with the couple, but they come together when faced with outside challenges!

Red Peppers is fun. It’s a look back into a forgotten world of entertainment. And I think the obviously ‘theatrical’ press night audience also appreciated it, especially the singing and dancing with its with rictus grins and grimy sailor suits. And the brilliantly groan-inducing jokes. “Why is midnight like the roof of a house? It’s ‘slate”! And both shows look good too! The tabs (the red curtains) look like they have always been there.

The second play, Aged in Wood takes place in the present day in the same dressing room as the first play. And not much has changed.

Deena Ames (Martin) a former musical theatre actress of a certain age now working in the provinces, has several personal and professional problems. Her son (Rhys Cannon) now looks better in her clothes than she does, her husband, Henry (Osbaldeston) has walked out, her leading man, Rufus (a hilarious Gill) can’t remember his lines and her daughter wants to move out to live with Dad. So we can appreciate the strain her life is under

Deena and her agent Avis (Vansittart) offer a shorthand view of a long relationship based on half-truths, flattery, and tolerance even if it is a bit ‘Ab Fab’ on occasions, while Henry offers an insight into the battle between career ambition and those left at home.

It’s an unusual, occasionally flat, but great night out! And there are some great lines too. A must for theatre fans.

Join the Literary Pub Crawl team!

If you are a (sociable!) writer or tour guide or actor and fancy presenting The London Literary Pub Crawl, get in touch! They’re recruiting new guides. audition@mavericktheatre.co.uk

The acclaimed Lit Pub Crawl and its HIGHLY DESIRED Beer mats!

Theatre Royal, Haymarket – The Deep Blue Sea – Press Night!

At the press night of ‘The Deep Blue Sea’ at Theatre Royal, Haymarket. It’ll be interesting to see what it’s like, because the last time I saw this was with the lovely and late Una Stubbs, an unknown director, Michael Grandage and a young Rebecca Raybone. Wonder what they’re doing now…? 😀

Nick being important! (Not!)

AFTER THE SHOW… I’d forgotten what a great play this is and what a great playwright Terrence Rattigan was. And Marc Elliot was brilliant as always. (Oh okay… he’s a mate. But he IS good!) And Tamsin Greig was a revelation as Hester. It’s an ‘old’ play, that feels completely contemporary. I’ve not been ‘officially’ asked to review it by the company, but it’s a great show.

Review: Friends with (Extra) Benefits!

Fruitcake, by Dulcie Johnson and Tilly Paisner.

🍷🍷🍷🍷 – 4 out of 5 glasses of student wine! And one Orange Juice to cherish! 🍷

Cherish The Orange at Theatre at The Tabard. And Edinburgh Fringe in August 2025. Produced by Alice Fenton.

Phoebe Taylor, Honey Gawn-Hopkins, Hattie Millard, Emma Morgan and Lily Sutcliffe.

On paper, the notion of a bunch of young women, all at University, all forced to stay together in one flat due to Covid, could be a very obvious show. But my expectations were delightfully exceeded by Fruitcake! For this, brilliantly, is a story about real friendship. Young female friends. But friendship. The format is clever too.

May, Bea, Stella, Alice and Freya are flatmates in their last year of university, suddenly flung into close proximity by the Covid Pandemic. They all have very different personalities and we get to see these through the clever use of soliloquies, each character sharing their wants and worries. Two of the friends are trying to write Slam Poetry, using the only people they are allowed to see – their flatmates – as inspiration.

The glory of this piece is its ordinariness! It feels like a real slice of life. The characters are all glorious. They are friends, so, for example, when one of the girls has a boyfriend for the first time, the problem isn’t about anything more than the fact her friends miss her company and a couple of them feel slightly jealous of the time she spends with him. And then others defend her, so she doesn’t feel bad about it! And when one of the friends goes against the Covid rules and goes out more than she should, another friend thinks she can’t cope with this and talks about moving back home. Potentially ‘losing’ one of the gang becomes a real issue for the whole group.

Other highlights including their dancing. They do it only occasionally, but brilliantly!

This was only a workshop event, but there are few stories told about ‘regular’ women. All the performances are strong and the pace never drops or becomes self-indulgent. Once the cast have more time with their characters, I think this will be a must-see, slice of life production. They are at the Edinburgh Fringe next. Go see it. You’ll soon see the benefits of becoming one of their friends.

Edinburgh Fringe…. https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/fruitcake