On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, don’t miss The Olive Boy, Ollie Maddigan’s raw, darkly comic tour de force blending hilarious teenage antics with profound grief in a deeply personal coming-of-age story, at Southwark Playhouse,
The Olive Boy
In January 2026, Southwark Playhouse Borough welcomes The Olive Boy, an acclaimed one-man show that transforms personal tragedy into a darkly comic coming-of-age story. Written and performed by Ollie Maddigan, this deeply autobiographical piece has garnered rave reviews and an Off West End Award (Offie) for its unflinching honesty and emotional depth.
Hailed as “a tour de force of emotion, ecstasy and grief” by Broadway Baby (★★★★★), The Olive Boy follows 15-year-old Ollie after the sudden death of his mother. Sent to live with his estranged father and starting at a new school, he navigates the chaos of adolescence—awkward crushes, social hierarchies, Snap streaks—while grappling with profound loss. The play blends sharp humour with raw vulnerability, capturing the absurdity of pretending to be “fine” when everything is falling apart.
The title derives from a tender nickname Ollie’s mother gave him at birth, which takes on poignant new meaning post-loss. The olive becomes a powerful metaphor for the bitterness he must “swallow”: grief, teenage awkwardness, and societal expectations around masculinity and emotion. Recorded dialogue by acclaimed comedian Ronni Ancona voices “The Voice”—an unseen therapist—highlighting the emotional distance often felt in counselling, especially for young boys.
Directed by Scott Le Crass (known for emotionally charged works like Rose starring Maureen Lipman and Country Music), the production moves seamlessly between stand-up confessions and quiet introspection. Maddigan’s performance has been praised for its “remarkable stage presence” and ability to balance laughter with heartbreak.
A Journey from Personal Pain to Acclaimed Theatre
First developed at the Camden Fringe in 2021, The Olive Boy exploded with a sell-out run at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A subsequent UK tour in 2024 earned Maddigan an Offie Award for Creation in 2025, alongside other accolades like Best Actor at the Derek Awards. Critics have called it “brilliant and thought-provoking” and “an engaging, compelling, exceptional story.”
Produced by Free Run Productions (committed to amplifying working-class voices, following hits like Jab and Country Music), with Shoddy Theatre as Associate Producer, this marks the show’s first dedicated London season. Maddigan, a rising talent praised by Steve Pemberton (Inside No. 9) as “one to watch,” recently appeared in the feature film Think of England. He describes the play as a way to process grief: “This grief that I carry isn’t a burden. It’s the price for love. And it’s worth it.”
While rooted in Maddigan’s life—his mother died when he was 15—the story resonates universally, exploring how we learn to live with love and its absence.
Practical Details
The Olive Boy runs from 14 to 31 January 2026 at Southwark Playhouse Borough (The Little theatre space), located at 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD.
Nearest stations: Elephant & Castle (Bakerloo and Northern lines) or Borough (Northern line).
Tickets and more information: Visit the Southwark Playhouse website.
Don’t miss this poignant, hilarious meditation on loss and resilience—potentially one of the final chances to see Maddigan perform his own story.
Book The Olive Boy now:
Venue: Southwark Playhouse Borough , 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD
Performance Dates & Times: 14 – 31 January 2026
Monday Saturday: 7.30pm, Tuesday and Saturday Matinees: 3pm.
Box Office Tickets are available from https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/the-olive-boy/
Ticket Prices: £10 Pioneer Preview/ £16 Previews/ £22 standard/ £18 concessions (Monday to Wednesday) and £26 standard/£21 concessions (Thursday to Saturday).
We strive to keep The Table Read free for both our readers and our contributors. If you have enjoyed our work, please consider donating to help keep The Table Read going!