Honey Badger, Cockpit Theatre review
Juraj Benko’s experimental one-hander at the intimate Cockpit Theatre is a unafraid exploration of the lasting impact of childhood trauma and the innate longing for love and connection that makes us human.
A large suitcase sits centre stage when the lights come up on Juraj Benko’s original one-man production, Honey Badger. Over the course of the next hour, Benko unpacks a series of objects from the suitcase that transport us back in time to a troubled and abusive childhood.
A pair of outfits are unpacked and hung up to represent a harsh, violent father and a depressive, alcoholic mother. The limp clothes are brought to life as Benko re-enacts scenes from behind the closed doors of their family home – painful recollections of being locked out in the yard in the pouring rain, driven to hide in cupboards out of fear and falling into fitful sleep in his childhood bedroom to the noise of gambling, drinking and glass smashing downstairs.
Whilst Benko’s stories are unflinching in their handling of a difficult subject matter, a potentially powerful production is let down by heavy-handed and clunky symbolism. A cut glass decanter highlights his mother’s drinking problem, a pack of cards represents a gambling addiction and a gold key around Benko’s neck that unlocks the suitcase shows the audience – in case we were struggling to figure it out – how he’s opening up and attempting to come to terms with a difficult past.
We jump back and forth between Benko’s childhood and his present day musings in a confused, non-linear narrative. A collection of toy animals is used in a series of thinly veiled allegories on the brutality of the animal kingdom: the lion that conquers the alpha male brutally killing his predecessors offspring; hamsters eating their own young in a midnight frenzy. The honey badger is evoked repeatedly for its fearlessness, resilience and single-mindedness in passing these skills to the next generation. It offers a model for the redemption Benko seeks, but fails to grasp, in this production.
Whilst some elements fail to take off, Benko’s performance is commendable throughout. He has an engaging, and at times endearing, stage presence and keeps an impressive energy throughout. Ariella Zilkha’s music is also used to great effect, keeping pace with the emotional intensity of the production.
Honey Badger is a brave piece of theatre which isn’t afraid to shy away from difficult and troubling themes. However, its story is confused and lacks a clear identity – which takes away some of its power and leaves the audience with unanswered questions.
Honey Badger is on at London’s The Cockpit Theatre until 13 April 2024. Find out more here.
Words by Ellen Hodgetts
Saff Williams is the Curatorial Director at Brookfield Properties, bringing over fifteen years of experience in the arts sector…
Enhanced restrictions implemented at the National Gallery following a series of attacks on iconic artworks to safeguard visitors and the collection.
Enhanced restrictions implemented at the National Gallery following a series of attacks on iconic artworks to safeguard visitors and the collection.
This winter, the Southbank Centre will offer a festive programme packed with incredible shows, exhibitions, free events, and its famous Winter Market.
Chelsea Barracks will host its inaugural Winter Fair in November, featuring festive food, shopping, and family-friendly activities.
Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence, c. 1504 · The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence · Jameel Prize: Moving Images · Norberto Spina: Presente · Tirzah Garwood: Beyond Ravilious · As We Rise: Photography from the Black Atlantic · Anastasia Samoylova: Adaptation · Self-Made…
Enhanced restrictions implemented at the National Gallery following a series of attacks on iconic artworks to safeguard visitors and the collection.
Stanley Tucci and head bartender Giulia Cuccurullo present a curated cocktail experience at Artesian, located in The Langham Hotel, in celebration of London Cocktail Week.
The Barbican Centre has announced a thrilling lineup of performances and exhibitions for early 2025, covering a diverse range of artistic disciplines.
Flock is a powerful and tragic story of siblings Robbie and Cel navigating the care system, their changing relationship, and the trials of early adulthood.
Experience a unique blend of yoga, sound baths, and breath work in a nature-themed immersive art environment, created in partnership with FRAMELESS…
Here’s a roundup of when and where you can experience the best of London’s Christmas light switch-on events for 2024.
Poet and novelist Hannah Regel’s debut novel, The Last Sane Woman, is a compelling exploration of the emotional lives of two aspiring artists living at different times, yet connected by the discovery of a box of letters in a forgotten feminist archiv…
1–54 African Art Fair has returned to Somerset House for its twelfth year, and it’s a marker in the calendar we always look forward to – a Frieze Week must-attend.
Daria Blum, a 2023 RA Schools graduate, won the inaugural £30,000 Claridge’s Royal Academy Schools Art Prize in September. Her exhibition, Drip Drip Point Warp Spin Buckle Rot, at Claridge’s ArtSpace...
Aurora Orchestra and Southbank Centre collaborate to redefine classical music at Drumsheds.
Elephant Park in Elephant and Castle is launching a weekly outdoor market with street food, artisanal goods, and 100 free lunches on opening day.
The exhibition is bookended by two pivotal socio-political occurrences in India’s history – the declaration of “the State of Emergency by Indira Gandhi in 1975” and “the Pokhran Nuclear Tests in 1998” giving birth to the world’s first exhibition to explore and chart two decades of significant cultural and political change in India.
The unmissable guide to Frieze London Week 2024: Discover our curated selection of art fairs, exhibitions, and engaging talks, accompanied by enticing dining spots to enhance your Frieze London week experience.
The Barbican offers free entry to ‘The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975-1998’ on 26-27 October, alongside the Darbar Festival and a film programme on Indian cinema.
Acclaimed Ndebele artist unveils monumental work celebrating community and interconnectedness in Kensington Garden…
Silk Roads is the first major exhibition of the British Museum with a team of three curators coming from different departments and specialisms and draws objects from nearly all collection departments in the museum. The multi-curator, cross department approach was aimed at developing interconnected narrative…
Haegue Yang: Leap Year · Hyundai Commission: Mire Lee · Sammy Baloji · Sonia Boyce: An Awkward Relation · Hew Locke: what have we here? · Nicola L. · Mike Kelley: Ghost and Spirit · Letizia Battaglia · Lauren Halsey: emajendat · The World of Tim Burton · Wildlife Photographer of the Year · The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975-1998 · Alexis Peskine: Forest Figures · Francis Bacon: Human Presence · Felicity Aylieff: Expressions in Blue…
The 2024 British Art Fair presents an impressive blend of fine, modern, and contemporary art, offering visitors a captivating experience. It showcases works by both established blue-chip artists and emerging talents…
A sitcom-style highlight reel of Ins Choi’s best moments, brought together in a hilarious and heartwarming performance exploring immigration, community and family values…
Acclaimed Ndebele artist unveils monumental work celebrating community and interconnectedness in Kensington Garden…
London’s premier art and antiques fair is back this October with over 80 world-class exhibitors and exciting new fringe events…
Global cinema platform MUBI and intersectional feminist publication Polyester kicked off Halloween week with a hauntingly glamorous launch event for the much-anticipated body-horror film The Substance at The Standard.