Milked at the Soho

For most twenty-somethings, the crushing sense of “what the heck do I do now?” that comes swiftly after graduation is a familiar one. If it isn’t, you’re either lying or far luckier than the rest of us. Written by Channel 4 playwright Simon Longman and produced by rural theatre company Pentabus, Milked is a wonderfully heartfelt, funny and unexpectedly moving exploration of this post-adolescent slump.

Set in the sleepy English countryside, the play follows the struggles of two young adults: bespectacled Paul whose heart is set on a job doing “media stuff” with only his history degree and bar experience to go on, and Snowy, who doesn’t seem nearly as concerned with job applications as Paul does. Oh, and there’s a very sick cow named Sandy, over whom the two boys fret. We watch as Paul grows gradually more disheartened by his job search, while Snowy’s sunny attitude turns out to be hiding much darker secrets.

The cast consists of Adam Redmore as Paul and Oliver Mott as Snowy, and thankfully there’s no cow present. They work well together, the witty dialogue flows well, and the tale is told smoothly, with skilful use of very few props in a very small space.

Milked has found what only the best black comedies have: the perfect balance between the laugh-out-loud moments and the quiet, touching ones. Perhaps it’s the subject matter, after all, growing up is equal parts tough and ridiculous. Though there’ll be moments where animal lovers are internally screaming “for God’s sake just call a vet!”, the play is thoroughly enjoyable.

Natasha Furlong

Milked is on at the Soho Theatre from the 3^rd March to the 8^th of March 2015, for further information or to book visit here.

Watch the trailer for Milked here: