REVIEW: EXPÖSED @ LION & UNICORN THEATRE

🎭 Expösed

📍 Lion & Unicorn Theatre, 42-44 Gaisford Street, Kentish Town, London, NW5 2ED

🗓 Thursday 19th February 2026

⭐️ 5 Stars

THE CHICEST CHAOS IN KENTISH TOWN

Last night may have been my first visit to the Lion & Unicorn Theatre, but it definitely wasn't my first time seeing the incredible company Baby Lamb Productions. I first saw this particular show nearly 3 years ago (when it was called The Emperor's New Clothes) and it was such a joy to be invited back to witness the sheer unadulterated chaos of EXPÖSED.

Baby Lamb Productions hasn't just updated a fairy tale - they've stripped it bare, doused it in glitter, and marched it down a catwalk at 100 miles per hour. This isn't just a modern retelling, it's a razor-sharp satirical assassination of the fashion industry that left me breathless from laughing.

The script is, quite frankly, a masterclass in farce. It is brilliantly funny, balancing high-brow wit with that specific brand of "daft-as-a-brush" physical comedy that defines the best of London fringe theatre. Every line lands with surgical precision, mocking the pretension of the "cool" crowd, while making you desperately want an invitation to the afterparty!

What really sets this show apart is the slickness of the production. Farce is notoriously difficult to get right. It requires timing so tight you couldn't even fit a silk thread through it, and director Hannah McLeod has choreographed this madness to perfection. The transitions are seamless, the energy is infectious, and the whole thing feels incredibly polished for such an intimate space.

The ensemble cast is a powerhouse of comedic timing. Not only is her directorial vision crystal clear, but Hannah McLeod's performance is a force of nature. She commands the stage with a "know-it-all" charisma that is both terrifying and hilarious. She is such an expressive performer and her "rainforest" section had me laughing so hard I almost wet myself!

Jacob Baird is an absolute scene-stealer. His physicality and expressive delivery brought a level of nuance to the absurdity that had the audience in the palm of his hand. His Emperor was a humorous mix of King Julien, Austin Powers, and Derek Zoolander that has to be seen to be believed.

Equally fearless are Ashok Gupta and Kiera Murray, who are both a delight, demonstrating a sharp versatility that keeps the show's frantic pace from ever flagging. Gupta brings a wonderful comic weight to his roles, while Murray's ability to pivot between characters provides some of the night's most grounded, yet hysterical, moments.

Meanwhile, Nisha Emich and Nick Alexander round out the cast with effortless chemistry. Emich possesses a magnetic stage presence that makes every line pop, and Alexander's gift for deadpan delivery serves as the perfect foil to the surrounding eccentricity. And he can really dance too!

Together, this outrageously talented company ensures there isn't a single weak link in the chain, making sure the world of the fashion elite feel brilliantly, ridiculously inhabited.

EXPÖSED is the most fun you can have in a black-box theatre this year, period. It's camp and categorically fabulous. If you want to see a production that knows exactly what it is and executes it with a total, clever confidence, get down to Kentish Town before the Emperor realises he's caught a chill wearing his revolutionary new fabric!

This was my second time seeing this show, and I'd watch it again and again. Productions like this are exactly why I love fringe theatre.

Performances continue at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre until Saturday 21st February. Click here to grab the last remaining tickets. I guarantee you won't regret it.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

CAST LIST:

Jacob Baird as The Emperor; Ashok Gupta as Yanik / Michael Michaels; Hannah McLeod as Bree / Alexa; Kiera Murray as Oche / Edna; Nisha Emich as Maureen / Areola; Nick Alexander as Johan

RUNNING TIME (approx):

I hour 10 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Frequent bad language; Partial / implied nudity

AGE GUIDANCE:

16+