Connor Goodwin’s production of Anna Jordan’s Yen at the Octagon Theatre is raw, tense, and painfully intimate. The play follows brothers Hench (Adam Owers) and Bobbie (Jonny Grogan), left to fend for themselves in a flat in Feltham while their mother drifts in and out of their lives. Their fragile existence is punctuated by pornography, video games, and a caged dog — numbing routines that barely cover their hunger for love and stability.
The arrival of their neighbour Jennifer (Lucy Eve Mann) disrupts their chaotic balance. Her presence awakens a tenderness in Hench and a defiance in Bobbie but also exposes just how unprepared the boys are for connection. Vicky Binns, as their mother Maggie, delivers a performance that is both heartbreaking and infuriating — her fleeting warmth undermined by self-destruction.
Goodwin uses the Octagon’s compact space to powerful effect, keeping the audience close enough to catch every flicker of unease without ever tipping into claustrophobia. The staging highlights the volatility simmering beneath the surface, making moments of violence and vulnerability hit with equal force.
Yen is not an easy watch, but it’s an essential one. In its portrayal of love-starved young people navigating neglect, trauma, and fleeting hope, this production asks us to reckon with what happens when innocence is lost too soon.
Reviewer: Brian Madden
Reviewed: 4th September 2025
North West End UK Rating:
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