I recently experienced Smoke at the Omnibus Theatre, and it’s one of those pieces that stays with you long after you’ve left the room.
I’d describe it as a one-man performance – though “performance” feels like too narrow a word – Smoke is an intensely personal and, at times, deeply confronting experience. It explores themes of life, grief, love, mental health, and drug use in a way that feels raw and unfiltered. It’s worth noting that parts of the piece can be quite triggering, but that discomfort is very much part of its power.
Reviewing this piece is difficult without giving any spoilers, and I shall try hard not to give away anything.
The show unfolds in two distinct halves. In the first, Alex, our protagonist, enters a fully lit space – there’s no hiding in the darkness here. As his stream of consciousness delivery explodes in front of us, you’re not just watching him; you’re also aware of everyone else in the audience, which creates a shared, almost exposed feeling.
Alex moves freely throughout the room, sitting among us, speaking as though we’re old friends and he’s telling us a memory. There’s an intimacy to it that blurs the line between performer and audience as he recounts receiving a text message and the events that follow the receipt of said message – it feels less like theatre and more like being let into someone’s personal world, a chat between old friends. Whether you “click” in the first 10 minutes, as I did, or you understand the piece fully towards the end, as my +1 did, both experiences are valid.
The language is both deeply funny and deeply sad. I spent a lot of the show with tears in my eyes – having a deep connection to this kind of story. There is a lot to laugh at, and some of the best one-liners I’ve heard about “twinks” in the last few years! Look out for the Lady Gaga line!
The second part of the “story” shifts in tone, becoming more structured yet no less impactful. It takes on the atmosphere of an NA (Narcotics Anonymous) meeting. It starts with Alex seated and addressing the group as though we fully understand his experiences. There’s a quiet intensity here—less movement, but perhaps even more emotional weight – as the storytelling becomes reflective and confessional. If you didn’t understand the double layer of the story, it is here that it unravels.
Personally, I found Smoke hugely moving. The language is evocative and striking, and while it can be difficult to sit with at times, it’s also incredibly powerful. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s an important one—honest, human, and unafraid to confront the messier parts of life.
The programme/play script that I was given on the way in uses the term “anti-theatre,” which perfectly positions the piece. Personally, I feel that it’s a piece that should receive larger exposure, a transfer to a bigger theatre space would be great, but also maybe a shorter version could be toured around sixth form colleges? The piece could serve as a top reason not to take drugs!
Review by Faye Stockley
Alex wakes one morning to a new message on Insta from his boyfriend Ben. But Ben died two years ago. What appears to be an everyday hack soon turns into something else as Alex’s life spirals out of control.
Created and performed by Alexis Gregory
Directed by Campbell X
SMOKE
Omnibus Theatre
21 to 25 April 2026
