Jack Holden in KENREX at The Other Palace, London. Picture: Pamela Raith
KENREX continues at The Other Palace, London until 1 February 2026.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
Direct from a run at Sheffield Theatres, Americana-soaked true crime tale KENREX makes its thunderous arrival at The Other Palace as one of the most distinctive pieces of theatre in London this season.
Like any good true crime documentary, the story begins with a tape recording and two attorneys as they recount the events of Skidmore and a puzzling cold case. From here, the show plunges into the story of a small Midwestern town living under the shadow of Ken Rex McElroy.
For a decade, arsonist, bully and all-round bad guy Ken has intimidated, burgled and even shot at the residents of Skidmore. And yet thanks to a slippery defence attorney he has never spent a single night in jail. When he shoots local greengrocer Bo Bowenkamp though and leaves him for dead, the community decide to take matters into their own hands.
At the heart of the piece is co-writer and actor Jack Holden, whose performance is nothing short of astonishing. With no costume changes, just physicality and a microphone, he brings a cast of 11 characters to life. From the no-nonsense bar owner Ida Smith to the hapless Mayor of Skidmore, Holden’s physical precision makes each transition instant and unmistakable. ‘Case Dismissed’, the comedy number centred on Ken Rex’s ever-evasive lawyer, is one of several scenes in which Holden’s shifts between characters are so convincing, you momentarily forget they’re all him.
It’s a hefty challenge to undertake but director and co-writer Ed Stambollouian keeps the storytelling razor sharp, using inventive blocking to maintain momentum throughout. The use of a simple door frame to shift scenes is particularly effective – a small device that becomes a clever gateway between moments.
The show’s soundscape, crafted by composer and onstage musician John Patrick Elliott, is also a vital anchor to the piece. The score feels rooted in dust and highway gravel, capturing the tension and place so well that the looming American flag hung in the corner of the stage is hardly needed.
As the antagonist Ken Rex, Holden is genuinely formidable – a presence that dominates the room with the same suffocating energy he exerts over Skidmore. His scenes with Trina, the girl he grooms from the age of 14, are particularly chilling. The production wisely ensures that she isn’t forgotten in the final reckoning – a choice that gives the ending moral weight, even if the closing monologue on justice feels slightly unnecessary.
The cumulative effect of KENREX is gripping and disquieting, with a theatrical language – smoke, sound distortion and flashing lights – that grounds the piece firmly in the world of Skidmore. Bold, atmospheric and anchored by a virtuoso central performance, KENREX is a darkly compelling triumph – a story of a town reclaiming power, told inventively and without judgement.
Elisha Owen
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