Words: Fiona McDonald
Image: David Emery
3 stars
Where Jessica Regan grew up in Ireland, there was no postcode. In 2004, she visited London for the first time for a drama school audition. 16 postcodes later, each area of London has taught her something different about herself.
We hear Jessica’s story through short monologues, one on offer for each postcode. After we hear about her life in Acton, the audience takes control. We can choose which postcode to visit next, which stories we hear, and which tales we are never told.
The show uses where we live as a lens to explore key parts of our lives – relationships and breakups, friendships and family. Regan exposes the reality of renting – landlords, subletting, evictions, and how difficult it is to even get a flat in the current rental crisis. The performance considers how, as renters, our lives are steered by where we must next move to.
Regan is an excellent performer. She makes us laugh, she entertains, and we are instantly invested in her story. The ending, however, did feel slightly incomplete. The show concludes with the song “Maybe It’s Because I’m a Londoner”. This is enjoyable, but it felt like a missed opportunity; there seemed potential to make the ending even more impactful – to consolidate all the lessons that her 16 postcodes have taught her.
16 Postcodes
Pleasance Courtyard, Bunker One
15:30
31 July – 26 August