What begins with corner-shop gin and noughties beats spirals into a survival story that’s tragically familiar.
Following its award-winning sold-out debut at Edinburgh Fringe, The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return embarks on a thrilling UK tour. Set against the backdrop of a post 2008 financial crash, where Luton is gutted by austerity, this compelling production from Chalk Line Theatre tells the story of two best friends holding tight to joy in a world that is built to suffocate them. Winner of Best New Writing (Besties Awards – Fest & Skinny Magazine 2024), Best Individual Performance (Olatunji Ayofe, Theatre Weekly) and a finalist for The List Awards 2024, this powerful production is a lyrical tapestry of violence, defiance, and hope.
Set over one chaotic night in austerity-hit Luton, the play follows two best friends as they chase the highs of youth against a backdrop of systemic neglect. What starts as a blur of noughties bangers and corner shop gin spirals into something darker – a raw, real-time collision of friendship, violence, and survival. Told with biting wit and lyrical intensity, this production is a powerful exploration of class, identity and the rage of a generation forced to fight for freedom, while also capturing the universal and relatable experience of transition and uncertainty that accompanies major life changes.
Known for their sharp, political storytelling, Chalk Line delivers a production that is both urgent and poetic. Packed with swagger, The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return aims to explore the beauty of youth against the harshness of the environment. It hurls at a rapid pace with linguistic vigour and unfolds in real time, all set to a backdrop of nostalgic hits. With violence on the streets, austerity in the neighbourhood, and a cracking house party that pulses round the corner, this show presents a tapestry of restlessness.
The play explores how easily vulnerable young people, from working class towns, can be drawn into violence and how anger, if left misdirected and uncontrolled, can lead to catastrophic events. It shines a light on the challenging circumstances that can so often stem from growing up in low socio-economic areas that have been neglected.
Listings
The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return: 3rd - 27th September
Southwark Playhouse Borough,77–85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD
Tickets from £22 - BOOK NOW
Further Information & Tour Dates: Chalk Line Theatre