Jade Franks’ one-woman show, Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates x), has had a fairytale run. Its sold-out debut at Edinburgh Fringe last year marked Franks out as a breakout talent and the excitement has carried her from London to Melbourne and even Netflix offices. Its return to the Soho Theatre this June is accompanied by a similar buzz which, for the most part, is warranted.
The semi-autobiographical show is sharply written and draws the audience into the world of Jade, a Liverpudlian scholar, as she navigates her first year at Cambridge University. It is a caustic commentary on the cultural and class-based divisions which overwhelm her experience, almost to the point of caricature. The posh students are ignorant and nasty, and the professors are technologically challenged crows. The only sense of normalcy comes from fellow working-class Christina and a visit from her sister, Laura.
It is this exaggerated, they-versus-us narrative, which works against the play’s potential. While some pastiche is to be expected and the discrimination Jade experiences is, no doubt, rooted in reality, the show misses the unique opportunity presented by Franks’ insider perspective to engage with the subject-matter with nuance, acknowledging the complexities of being stuck between two worlds, instead remaining safely on the surface of the conversation. However, what it lacks in terms of its omissions, it more than makes up for with its richly funny script and tight production.
To this extent, Franks’ performance is a delight. She is a natural-born actor— every pause, every fumble seems deliberate— and has our attention from the instant she first boogies onto the stage. Her confidence elevates the show, bringing that extra bit of sincerity, wit and charm to the already-winning words. Eat the Rich (but maybe not my mates x) is a fine launchpad for a capable new voice in British theatre and leaves the audience looking forward to what Franks does next.
Playing until 2nd July, https://sohotheatre.com/events/but-maybe-not-me-mates-x/
Reviewer: Saloni Sanwalka
Reviewed: 16th June 2026
North West End UK Rating:
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