REVIEW: EVO EVO @ PLAYHOUSE EAST

🎭 Evo Evo

📍 Playhouse East, 258 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DG

🗓 Friday 2nd October 2026

⭐️ 5 Stars

AN ABSOLUTE TRIUMPH OF CHAOS AND COMMUNITY

Let’s be entirely honest for a moment: staging any kind of fringe theatre show in London right now is a borderline miraculous feat. But trying to do it while navigating the beautifully messy, wildly contradictory realities of the London-based Balkan diaspora? Well, that is a whole other level of beautiful chaos. And that is exactly where the Balkan Collective's brilliant devised comedy EVO EVO, currently wrapping up its utterly sold-out season at Playhouse East, finds its absolute magic.

Although I shamefully know little to nothing about it, I actually have Balkan heritage myself - you just have to look at my surname to realise that! In fact, during conversations after the show last night, I actually learnt what my surname means, and because of my grandfather's name, my roots are likely to have been in Croatia. But, as they say in the play, it's complicated!

From the very second you step into the intimate Haggerston space, any expectation of a stuffy, traditional sit-and-watch performance flies right out the window. This is meta-theatre at its most delightfully playful. We are warmly welcomed into the space by an enthusiastic and friendly cast, who are offering coffee and sweet treats as we take our seats.

The show comically parodies its own existence, structurally functioning as a collage of the hurdles, identity crises, and language barriers that come with trying to mount an independent production. It is sharp, self-aware, and completely unpretentious. I absolutely adored the chaotic energy the foursome brought to the stage, acting as if they were just making it up as they went along. In its most basic form, I guess you would call this a comedy sketch show, and it reminded me of some of the wonderful, irreverent work of French and Saunders.

What makes EVO EVO work so brilliantly is its outright refusal to neatly package Balkan identity into a single, predictable stereotype. Instead, the incredibly talented ensemble leans right into the contradictions. They give us a fast-paced, high-energy hour of theatre that manages to be fiercely specific about the immigrant experience while remaining completely, deeply universal. You don't need to be from the Balkans to feel the sting - and the hilarity - of just wanting to belong somewhere.

No matter your cultural identity, this show welcomes you with open arms and never makes you feel like you're missing out. There is a hilarious scene that unfolds, which is translated into English for us twice! First we're given the hilarious literal translation, and then we're allowed to understand what is actually happening. There is also a fantastic scene representing Brexit, and how it has changed the way that not only British people travel around Europe, but what it's like for those entering the UK.

The whole thing is loud and fast, and the audience interaction is handled with the kind of warm, chaotic charm that makes you feel like you've been invited into a family living room rather than a theatre box.

Harun Ćehović, Klara Kaliger, Filip Mayer, and Iva L. Šimić instantly put the audience at ease and have structured the evening with beauty and intent. The entire creative team have worked wonders, from Lander Martinez's brilliantly precise lighting design, to Marko Stamenkovic's movement direction, everything slots together seamlessly to bring an explosion of frivolity.

Frankly, the energy in that room is intoxicating. The Balkan Collective has crafted something immensely special here - a punchy, deeply affectionate celebration of migration, language, and artistic survival. The evening ends with a phenomenal party atmosphere that just leaves you with a huge smile on your face.

I laughed all the way through, and EVO EVO is undoubtedly an absolute triumph of fringe storytelling. I am genuinely excited to see how this beautiful beast evolves when it heads over to the Etcetera Theatre in Camden this November as part of the Voilà! Festival. CLICK HERE to learn more and to 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 person.

My ticket for this performance of Evo Evo was gifted by Matthew Parker PR, 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.

CREATED AND PERFORMED BY:

Harun Ćehović; Klara Kaliger; Filip Mayer; Iva L. Šimić

CREATIVES:

Dramaturg - Paul Sirett; Associate Dramaturg - Pooja Sivaraman; Movement Director - Marko Stamenkovic; Creative Consultant - Jonathan Oldfield; Lighting Designer - Lander Martinez; Sound Designer - Bruno Vilhar; Costume Designer - Rosalba Mensah; Producers - Harun Ćehović, Klara Kaliger, Filip Mayer, Iva L. Šimić; Associate Producer - Jake Walton

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Occasional adult language

AGE GUIDELINE:

14+