“We hate the Tube, but also deep down, we know we love it and couldn’t cope without it”: Hamish Clayton on Cockfosters at Southwark Playhouse
From its genesis at the Drayton Arms Theatre to four sold-out runs at Battersea’s Turbine Theatre, then transferring to Southwark Playhouse earlier this year and receiving rave reviews, Cockfosters is back by popular demand for another round of shows, once again proving that poking fun at the world’s oldest metro system is a recipe for success with audiences and critics alike.
Co-written by director Hamish Clayton and producer Tom Woffenden, they have a stack of credits to their names across stage and screen, combining their expertise and Tube experiences to bring the play to life. During Cockfosters’ latest run at Southwark Playhouse, The Upcoming caught up with Clayton to talk about the show and its widespread appeal.
Hi Hamish, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Congratulations on securing another run at the Southwark Playhouse for Cockfosters! How did it feel when you got the call?
We were absolutely delighted. We’ve always thought Southwark Playhouse was the perfect home for the show, and when the run in May went so well, we were thrilled it came over in December. We hope everyone will be in the mood for a comedy!
You and Tom have a wealth of stage and screen experience behind you – how did you first get together to create the show?
We first met working on a short film (I was actually acting and Tom was producing!) – for this show, it started, like all bad ideas, over a drink. I’d signed up for a slot at Drayton Arms Theatre, and we wrote the first draft in a 48-hour period together.
What was it about the Tube that drew you to write a play about it?
Tom has a great story of his dad returning home one night, utterly forlorn after somebody had offered him a seat. Society had deemed him old – a dark day that will happen to us all.
Setting a show on the Tube has so many nice opportunities; it is a perfect vehicle (mind the pun) for short sketches between each stop. It also takes you on a whole cross-section of London, allowing you to see all types of people that live in this wonderful city, from posh couples in Knightsbridge to football fans at Arsenal.
Out of all the lines on the tube map, why the Piccadilly?
Firstly, the name Cockfosters is the best-named station on the map. So it had to be that. Also, Heathrow is many people’s gateway into London, so it also feels like a very natural place to start a show about London.
That’s a very good point! How would you say the show’s evolved from the first time it played to an audience?
A lot! Most obviously in the set, which has evolved from nine chairs borrowed from a local church, to a full-on set carriage from our brilliant set designer, Gareth Rowntree. But the script has come a long way, too. Whole scenes, songs, and characters have come and gone in the various runs as we’ve attempted to continue chipping away at any excesses and saturate down to the funniest and most important bits. I really do feel our current version is its strongest ever.
Have there been any ideas, storylines or jokes you’ve desperately wanted to include but for whatever reason, they never did? Is there any possibility they could be revisited one day?
Many. We’ve had many sketches we know everyone will relate to, but struggled to work out how best to put them on stage. The importance of the Tube during the blitz, rush-hour madness and everyone constantly on their phones, these are some of the ideas which we’d love to do but haven’t worked out the best way of portraying them just yet. We definitely hope to include some in the future.
There have been a couple of casting changes between Cockfosters‘ previous run at the Playhouse and this current one; are there any other changes we can look forward to?
There have always been casting changes between every run – the actors are always in high demand after the show! We can’t wait to welcome Princess Donnough on board after her tour of Sh!tfaced Shakespeare. The multi-talented Verity Bajoria joins as understudy. And, perhaps most notably, Charlie Keable rejoins the team; he’s one of the original members from the Drayton Arms!
As something of a Tube nerd, I’ve noticed a couple of inclusions that may have flown over most people’s heads (Jay Foreman’s Every Tube Station Song, Piccadilly announcer Julie Berry herself recording some dialogue for the show). Would you class yourselves as transport enthusiasts?
I think it’s fair to say we’ve become Tube enthusiasts. Probably as we’ve researched more and more about the Tube, we’ve been exposed to a whole world of history, influencers, photographers, guides, musicians and more!
In your opinion, what is it about Cockfosters that keeps drawing people back and selling out shows?
I think, given that everyone takes the tube, it’s really relatable. A friend who saw it said it felt like a sketch show with in-jokes for the ten million Londoners who live here. We hate the Tube, but also deep down, we know we love it and couldn’t cope without it! It’s truly an integral part of our lives.
I uncovered a recent Facebook clip where you likened Cockfosters to The Play That Goes Wrong and Operation Mincemeat, and an interview with Tom where he said he wrote his own Blackadder series when he was ten! While I can definitely see multiple influences, including these, in the play, have there been any comparisons that have surprised you?
I don’t think there have been any comparisons I’ve been surprised by (yet…). It’s always amusing to read some reviews that say: “I didn’t like the music,” then others that say, “The music is the best part, they should add more!” Exactly the same with the audience interaction section. But I think that shows that, although not every section will land with every person, there are bits in it for everyone.
What do you hope to do with Cockfosters in the future? A West End transfer, UK tour, maybe taking the show abroad?
Of course, the West End is the dream. We are developing it into a musical version, which might have better chances of growing onto bigger stages. We’d also love to do a New York Subway version, Paris Metro – any city with an Underground!
With the exception of the Piccadilly, what’s your favourite Tube line and why?
The quicky Vicky – it surprises me by its efficiency every single time.
Outside of Cockfosters, what’s coming up for you? Anything you can share with us?
This has taken over much of my life, but I have a number of scripts I’ve written which will soon be ready for a home.
Thank you so much for your time, Hamish. Best of luck with the show!
Gem Hurley
Photo: Courtesy of Southwark Playhouse
Cockfosters is at Southwark Playhouse from 4th December 2025 until 3rd January 2026. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.
Watch the trailer for Cockfosters at Southwark Playhouse here:
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