If one had to sum up Working Class Hero in one word, it would have to be “heartfelt.”
Playing at Barons Court Theatre from November 19 to 22 as part of the Voila! Theatre Festival, this hour long two hander is, inspired by writer (and performer) Theo Hristov, a satire that addresses migrant and working class representation in the arts, and examines how far the industry still has to go to achieve real social, economic and cultural equality.
Set in present-day London, this examination of Britain’s fixation with its class structure, and its implications for ambitious artists who do not fit into traditional societal stratification moulds, rests upon the different experiences of two actors, who are also close friends.
One, who is referred to throughout as “Posh Actor,” is a white, privately educated performer who, despite achieving success and recognition, is increasingly frustrated by being pigeonholed; his eponymous posh actor persona dominating and proscribing the roles he gets. He wants to work in gritty, slice of real life, independent films set somewhere “up North” and suddenly gets the chance to do so.
The problem is that the script which offers him the opportunity to extend his repertoire in this way, (and potentially get a BAFTA of course), was written by Stephan, his best buddy, as a vehicle for himself not his posh entitled and successful pal.
Stephan is a migrant, working class actor, originally from Bulgaria. His script is enthusiastically accepted by the production company, but they only want Stephan’s work, not Stephan himself. He is not the right fit.
When Posh Actor gets the job, the conflict ultimately strains their friendship to breaking point, under the accumulated pressures of typecasting, intrinsic social and cultural bias and the rigidity of preordained class-infused systems based upon outmoded concepts of creative appropriateness.
The production uses a mixture of comedic vignettes, physical theatre and multimedia visuals to tell its story, and confront the issue of the imbalance and unequal representation of migrant artistes in the UK arts industry. There is a fringe revue feeling to some of the action, with the audience encouraged by held up cards to applaud, cheer, and emote at various stages of the action. The use of props, scraps of costume, (a wig here, a cloak there) and differentiated voices to deliver recognisable industry stereotypes is largely well integrated and helps the narrative flow.
Oscar Nicholson, as Posh Actor, displays a series of well observed and finely nuanced characterisations. He drips entitlement and the innate self-confidence that a privileged and comfortable public-school upbringing has given him. His face fits, and plum jobs drop into his lap. Nicholson is also able to switch portrayals effortlessly, introducing us to a hard driven, down-to-earth estuary-English speaking agent who advises Stephan to “…play the game. Be confident.”
Stephan (Theo Hristov), by contrast is downbeat, subdued yet with a growing sense of anger and resentment at the unfairness of the socio-economic cultural cards stacked against him. His observation that “there’s more to being working class than an accent” is saturated with frustration and irritation.
Both actors attack the piece with energy and intensity and work well together.
The intrinsic difficulty with Working Class Hero is that the key points are made early, the major issue clarified beyond doubt within the initial ten to fifteen minutes of the play. Thereafter, it loses much of its thrust and elan. The central critique is replayed over and over again during the remaining forty minutes via a series of (well performed) scenes and sketches.
Once the underlying thrust of the narrative is determined and communicated, there is nowhere else for the play to go. The characters of both Stephan and Posh Actor do not progress beyond their initial establishment and lack sufficient depth and subsequent variety of situations to take the story into new areas.
The central premise of Working Class Hero is both important and relevant and demands both exposure and consideration. It is thoughtfully and enthusiastically performed. Unfortunately, however, in this production, it just feels, at one hour’s running time, all a little overstretched and one dimensional.
Review by Johnny Oxford
Set in present day London, the play follows two actors and best friends Posh Actor and Stephan. As one is beset by opportunity because he has the right background and accent and the other struggles to get a break, their friendship strains under the weight of typecasting, systemic bias and social expectations.
Cast: Theo Hristov and Oscar Nicholson
Directed by Bkanka Szentandrássy
DuckTape and Cock-Up Theatre present
WORKING CLASS HERO
By Theo Hristov
Barons Court Theatre, 19, 21 and 22 November 2025
Presented as part of Voila! Theatre Festival
