The Last Man – Southwark Playhouse Elephant

Picture: Margo Jones

The Last Man continues at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London until 13 June 2026.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

Into a stark concrete bunker filled with IKEA Kallax-style storage boxes runs a desperate and breathless man. Through the medium of rock music, he tells us the world outside has become overrun by zombies. Though he has prepared for this with great care, as the days turn to months, we see resources run low. Gradually, signs begin to appear that the isolation is taking a toll on his mental health and everything about this terrifying world is called into question.

During the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic that kicked off this decade, some feared we might become overrun by identikit lockdown stories from writers with no other sources of inspiration. In the end, due to either the unexpected resilience of human imagination or a general desire to put that period behind us, the new work that has resulted from this period has been wonderfully varied and interesting. However, a handful of great musicals that directly address the isolation of this period have emerged. Alongside Bo Burnham’s Inside and Dave Malloy’s Three Houses, this cult-hit Korean show is very much worth your time.

Written by Jishik Kim (book and lyrics) and Seungyeon Kwon (music), The Last Man became a sell-out sensation in Seoul when it premiered in 2021. Subsequently, an English language adaptation was trialled at readings Off-Broadway, with this full, two-act version at Southwark Playhouse marking the piece’s UK premiere. London theatre fans will be heartened to see Jethro Compton (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) listed in the programme as dramaturg, and it is clear a lot of effort has been exerted to make this production just as successful as the original Korean staging.

Our unnamed protagonist is written vaguely enough to feel universal and playable by a range of actors (in London, the role is shared between Lex Lee and Nabi Brown), but with a few quirks to endear them to the audience. Inevitably, a modern young person’s response to a zombie apocalypse would be to immediately begin vlogging, and this gives a neat in-universe excuse for any necessary exposition. They are also a fan of zombie horror movies, which explains their preparedness and underpins much of the evening’s playful humour.

Significantly, the protagonist is Korean. Though the story is ultimately about all humanity, the cultural specificity of the piece results in a deeper connection with its audience. Some sections where the survivor gives their audience a lengthy explanation of Korean concepts may be redundant for those more familiar with the culture, but they serve as a warm welcome to outsiders such as myself.

With only eight songs (plus reprises and instrumentals), The Last Man’s score is somewhat limited in range and scope, but with such fun tunes we don’t feel shortchanged. Opener ‘Into the Bunker’ is a pop-punk treat, which sets the stage for explorations into more progressive and 1980s styles as the show develops. The entire score sounds incredible with brilliant musical director Amy Hsu’s five-piece band playing with a palpable joyous energy. Many in the audience bopped along, whether they were established fans of the Korean production or not.

Jishik Kim’s lyrics are well-crafted, if a little workmanlike in places. He excels when exploring ideas of “In’gan” and “Jeong” (roughly translated for us as humanity and a feeling of deep, warm, platonic love respectively). In these moments, the show solidifies itself as more substantial than you might expect from the ‘zombie rock musical’ premise alone. Even beyond the pandemic lockdowns, its exploration of what it means to be a human when entirely disconnected from humanity holds great resonance.

Director of the original Korean production Daljung Kim has returned for this London outing, and he has done a tremendous job adapting the show for Western audiences. Though care is taken to bring newcomers along for the ride, the show retains authenticity and heart, and seems to be greatly enjoyed tonight by those already fans of the piece.

As mentioned, the lead role is shared by two actors. On this occasion Lex Lee descends to the concrete hideaway, and he is a wonderfully charismatic presence. The character itself is written somewhat blandly, with few personal details fleshed out beyond being zombie obsessed. However, as we project our own lockdown experiences onto him, Lee does an incredible job of projecting an unobvious emotional depth. Commanding an audience’s attention for two hours is a commendable feat for a solo actor, but Lee goes above and beyond, delivering a memorable and impactful performance.

I have no doubt there is a great future for this show, though it will inevitably evolve further from here. Beyond ironing out some of the tech and sound aberrations of this press night, the ending could use a little massaging to avoid undercutting the gorgeous ambiguity infusing the rest of the piece. Still, in a few years’ time this brilliant and original piece of musical theatre surely will have as dedicated a UK following as it does in Korea. I for one will be back much sooner: I cannot wait to see Nabi Brown’s take on the central role and spend more time dwelling on the concept of social isolation with a room of like-minded souls.

Ian Bowkett