The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return is a production that has been gathering buzz since its Edinburgh Fringe run. The play, written and co-directed by Sam Edmunds, aims to capture the raw chaos of youth, friendship, and violence in austerity Britain. Unfortunately, despite the promise and the energy on display, the show doesn’t quite land.
From the very start, the production hurls itself at the audience with a barrage of noise and frenetic delivery. The dialogue is often loud to the point of being overwhelming, and the constant shouting quickly becomes more grating than powerful. One wonders if the performers were instructed to scream nearly every line—if so, it’s a puzzling directorial choice. Volume does not automatically equate to intensity, and rather than pulling us deeper into the characters’ world, it creates a wall of sound that distances the audience. Subtlety, at times, is far more effective.
The story itself—a portrait of working-class young people spiralling through a single chaotic night—feels overly familiar. We have seen variations of this narrative many times before: young men caught between friendship, violence, and a system that offers little hope. While the themes remain important, the play doesn’t bring enough freshness or originality to justify retelling it in this way. Instead of offering new insight, it treads well-worn ground with predictable beats.
That said, the cast cannot be faulted. Elan Butler, Nathaniel Christian, and Leanne Henlon throw themselves into the material with conviction and energy. Their physicality and commitment keep the play alive even when the writing falters. It is clear that they are highly talented performers, and they deserve credit for sustaining such a demanding, full-throttle performance. If only the production itself gave them more opportunities for nuance and texture, rather than unrelenting decibels.
There’s no denying that The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return has ambition, and many audience members may be swept up by its sheer force. For me, however, the combination of repetitive storytelling, overbearing volume, and lack of originality left me feeling more exhausted than moved. Sometimes chaos on stage can be illuminating—but here, it felt like chaos for its own sake.
It runs until 27 September.
Photo: Harry Elletson