REVIEW: DAD @ GOLDEN GOOSE THEATRE

🎭 Dad

📍 Golden Goose Theatre, 146 Camberwell New Road, London, SE5 0RR

🗓 Saturday 26th September 2026

⭐️ 3 Stars

THREE'S COMPANY, SIX IS STUFFING THE GOOSE

It's always a joy to be invited to review a brand new piece of theatre, and when it's being performed in a venue that's within walking distance of where I live, it's even better!

DAD is a brand new play that follows three estranged brothers - Nathan, Aaron, and Karl who are forced back together after their elderly father, an ex-policeman living with dementia, goes missing for two days. Meeting up to figure out what on earth to do next, the afternoon quickly descends from brotherly banter and surprising revelations into a brewing storm of resentment as they confront the deep psychological scars left behind by their father's past actions.

The play gets off to an undeniably strong start. I was instantly gripped, and the dynamics between the three lead actors as the brothers were engaging. There were proper belly laughs, as well as heartfelt and devastating moments. Unfortunately for me, it all started to fall apart when other characters were added.

I was really enjoying the play up until that moment, and would have loved to have further explored the relationship between the brothers. The writing began to lose its strength, almost as if the confidence in it had gone. Everything started to feel less natural, and it was as if things had been added to the story just for shock value.

The arrival of the ex-wife and the son all felt a bit too convenient. No-one had seen each other for years, then they suddenly all turn up on the same day! Fine for the brothers as they'd been invited, but the others? I began to feel really frustrated, as the potential in that opening scene was fantastic. We didn't even need to see the titular Dad in my opinion. Just a deep dive into the brothers would have been fantastic, but alas, this was not meant to be. There was just too much stuffed into a short runtime, with the subplots taking away from the dark wit.

The absolute standout performances in this piece came from Ivan Kaye and Nigel Betts. Kaye has a magnetic stage presence, and you can really see that under all the chat and bravado of Aaron, there is a real vulnerability to his character. From the moment he enters the stage, he gives a powerful, and sharply humorous performance.

Betts is grounded, and undeniably strong as the elder half-brother Karl. You really believe the history of the character, and can see how all these elements have made him into the man he is today.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the entire cast. I will not mention specific names as that would be deeply unfair of me, but I felt that some roles were poorly acted and completely unbelievable. Aside from the tonal shift in the writing, this is another reason I lost concentration, and ultimately confidence in the play.

Although a fringe production, the creative elements surrounding the production were good. Things such as the set and lighting designs were simplistic, but delivered exactly what they needed to, while the direction made full use of the space - really making us feel that we were in the outdoor garden, rather than in a small theatre.

Overall this was a real mixed bag for me. It's a piece with an incredible amount of promise that unfortunately gets tripped up by its own ambition. There is a genuinely gripping, darkly comic family drama buried inside this script, but it gets choked out by unnecessary twists and a few weak links in the ensemble. David Solomon is clearly a writer to watch, and when DAD sticks to the raw chemistry between the siblings, it absolutely soars. But by trying to do too much in such a short window, it leaves you feeling frustrated by what could have been a truly stellar fringe triumph.

If you want to make up your own mind, performances continue until Saturday 3rd October. CLICK HERE to learn more and book tickets.

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 Dad Institute was gifted by Cellar Door Theatre Company, 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. 

CAST:

David Solomon as Nathan; Ivan Kaye as Aaron; Nigel Betts as Karl; Joanne Arber as Leila; Paul Kelvin as Daniel; Jerry Ezekiel as Alistair

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 5 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Bad language; Stage violence; Mature themes; Past trauma; Domestic control

AGE RECOMMENDATION:

14+

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