Channel Surfing at The End of Days – Hen & Chickens

CHANNEL SURFING AT THE END OF DAYS, written and directed by Callum Pardoe, takes the form of a series of short vignettes – glimpses into people’s lives in the moments before the world instantaneously and unexpectedly ends.

Pardoe’s script excels at depicting the unusual, mysterious, and supernatural. A woman is tasked by an unsettling being to deliver an ancient letter to a private investigator. A grieving father is tormented by a beastly entity. Two brothers bicker about whether or not to contact their dead parents via séance. Pardoe demonstrates an excellent ability to build intrigue and suspense. These vignettes perfectly balance comedy and pathos along with a growing sense of dread, and the effect is gripping.

By contrast, the more mundane scenes of everyday life somewhat fall flat. The dialogue is often slow to reveal what is going on; key information is withheld in a way that is frustrating rather than intriguing. And the scenes often end at crucial moments, for example immediately after a confession of love. Obviously, were the world really to end there would be many conversations suddenly cut short, but it becomes dissatisfying to repeatedly watch minutes of setup come to an abrupt end without payoff or conclusion. The show is also fairly repetitive. It appears to be aiming to depict a broad assortment of different situations, but all the characters speak and behave so similarly to one another that any sense of variety is missing.

The four actors – who each play multiple roles across the many scenes – all do a good job. They each bring their own brand of comedy to the humorous moments, with Eleanor Cobb and Matt Williams providing most of the laughs through jittery nervousness and awkward earnestness respectively. Natasha Mula is highly engaging in the more serious moments, while also delivering some excellent dry humour. Joe Stanton is the overall standout. He is able to make the most of the many emotionally poignant moments given to him and does a fantastic job of distinguishing his characters through subtle changes to his voice and physicality.

Overall, CHANNEL SURFING AT THE END OF DAYS is gripping in its best moments, but often feels repetitive. The actors do a good job with the material, and the moments where the script and the performances synergise are highly effective and engaging.

CHANNEL SURFING AT THE END OF DAYS runs until April 25^th at the Hen & Chickens, with tickets available athttps://unrestrictedview.co.uk

Reviewer: Charles Edward Pipe

Reviewed: 20th April 2026

North West End UK Rating: