Invisible Me

Southwark Playhouse Borough

Playing until 2nd May 2026

Book tickets

Photo credit: Harry Elletson

{PR Gifted ticket}

Trio of Londoners James, Alec and Lynn all live in the same area, and they’re all about to turn 60. With that milestone, they receive an unwanted present: feeling like they’ve become invisible to the world around them.

Each battling loneliness, the three characters’ lives are rocked by unexpected sexual encounters that turn their sense of selves upside down as they rediscover what it means to feel truly alive.

Lynn, played with loveable warmth by the excellent Tessa Peake-Jones, has the most drastic arc over the course of Bren Gosling’s play. Reeling from being left by her husband and seeing her mother die in the home she now lives in alone, Lynn keeps herself occupied with shifts cleaning a local hotel — until a chance meeting with a sex worker inspires her to try something new. Peake-Jones is incredibly endearing as she shows Lynn coming out of her shell and growing into a whole new person entirely, but her storyline does feel a bit too unrealistic (and slightly rushed) to really become invested in her emotionally.

Kevin N Golding’s Alec is a divorced dad trying to reclaim his glory days as a green-haired punk in the 80’s by buying himself a studded leather jacket and pulling a girl he gleefully admits might be over half his age. While Golding is undeniably charming with a wicked glint in his eye, his borderline desperation in going after this younger woman makes him a bit harder to root for. This is compounded by a few references to him being homophobic, which I assumed would be addressed in some way or another, perhaps demonstrating there was a misunderstanding of his beliefs, or he’d grown out of them. Instead, this character trait was merely briefly dangled and dropped.

As widowed, HIV-positive Jack, James Holmes has the most touching storyline, dealing with grief and navigating the intimidating world of dating apps. He’s totally loveable, and Holmes brings an easy tenderness to the role — I’d have liked to see a bit more of him, as it feels like he’s slightly less of a central character than Lynn and Alec.

Gosling’s script cleverly blends the trio’s stories via interlocking and overlapping monologues, until the three ultimately meet all together at the end of the play. Some of the ways their stories intersect can feel a bit shoehorned in, but the final conclusion is uplifting and a joy to watch. Director Scott Le Crass stages the monologues well, with each character taking turns to move and sit in different areas of the simply dressed stage. It does occasionally feel like the characters are moving for the sake of moving, which can disrupt the narrative flow rather than strengthen it.

Invisible Me shines a light on a topic that is too often ignored, and the sensitive way it explores loneliness will resonate with many. In the script’s current state, it’s not quite a must-see, but it’s packed with enough heart and laughs to make it a very enjoyable watch.

Creatives

Writer: Bren Gosling

Director: Scott Le Cras

Set and Costume Designer: David Shields

Lighting Designer: Jodie Underwood