REVIEW: 7-7-7 @ BARONS COURT THEATRE

🎭 7-7-7

📍 Barons Court Theatre, 28a Comeragh Road, London, W14 9HR

🗓 Sunday 9th August 2026

⭐️ 5 Stars

THE BEST LATE-NIGHT CULT I'VE EVER JOINED!

By the time I sat down in the atmospheric basement of the Barons Court Theatre on Sunday evening for 7-7-7, I was already on my third show of the day - and my second performance at this exact venue as part of the Camden Fringe. To be completely honest, I had absolutely no idea what to expect going in. And walking out into the London night afterwards, I still didn't really know what on earth I had just watched! But you know what? All I knew, and all that mattered, was that I absolutely loved it.

The whole thing is apparently born out of an accidental exorcism during a real-life shamanic ceremony, which is already a wild way to start a play. Instead of just giving us a standard piece of drama, writer and performer Colin Rayner takes that bizarre spark and spins it into a massive existential crisis on stage, wrestling with huge, heavy questions about trauma, free will, morality, and where the heck evil actually comes from. It really digs into the depths of human consciousness and belief - forcing us to confront the kind of uncomfortable questions that make your brain itch.

Questions like, what actually drives someone to commit acts of unspeakable evil? Do we even have a genuine choice in who we are and what we do? It’s a profound exploration of the 'dark night of the soul' and total psychological breakdown that somehow manages to feel deeply intimate yet completely cosmic at the same time.

What makes it work so beautifully is Rayner's unique and incredibly calming way of storytelling. There is something so deeply soothing, yet also fundamentally mesmeric about his vocal tone and delivery. He has this almost mystical presence that instantly puts the audience at ease, completely welcoming you into his strange little world from the second he starts speaking. Because he builds that trust so early on, it succeeds in making us feel extremely safe as an audience, even as he drags us on a manic, unpredictable rollercoaster through some pretty heavy and disturbing themes.

He possesses a certain natural magnetism that makes it physically difficult to take your eyes off him. The entire concept of the play is completely out there - and if I’m being entirely honest, it is a bit of a total head fuck - but at the exact same time, it’s just utterly compelling.

The piece perfectly blends Rayner's two distinct backgrounds together - bridging his top-tier, rigorous acting training from elite drama schools like RADA with his deep personal immersion into ritual, shamanic ceremonies, and psychedelic exploration. His profound understanding of both of those worlds creates something genuinely special on stage.

This show is the perfect example that you don't need a huge set design, and lots of crazy lighting effects to dazzle and distract an audience. 7-7-7 literally has a table and a telephone on the stage, and nothing else. Nothing more is needed, because the content of the piece is so compelling.

I literally don’t know what else to say about this one, except that I was completely transfixed from start to finish. It's dark, it's funny, and yet it's intense and unsettling in the best possible way!

This limited run for the Camden Fringe has just wrapped up, but you absolutely need to keep your eyes peeled for any further stagings in the future. Trust me, you do not want to miss this.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair, and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one reviewer.  

My ticket for this performance of Antigone was gifted by Colin Rayner, who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given. 

WRITTEN BY & STARRING:

Colin Rayner

RUNNING TIME (approx):

40 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Visual depictions and references to drug misuse; Narrative focus on the dark night of the soul, trauma, and psychological breakdown; references to violence and abuse; : References to self-harm and suicide

AGE RECOMMENDATION:

16+

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