REVIEW: THE FAKE MAN INSTITUTE @ GOLDEN GOOSE THEATRE

🎭 The Fake Man Institute

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

🗓 Saturday 22nd August 2026

⭐️ 5 Stars

FRINGE THEATRE AT ITS BEST

There is honestly nothing better than a perfect summer evening in South London, especially when it involves theatre. I am lucky enough to live close enough to the Golden Goose Theatre in Camberwell that I could just step out of my front door and enjoy a lovely, warm stroll straight to the venue. Talk about a perfect start to the night!

Stepping inside, my heart absolutely soared. The auditorium was completely packed out. In a climate where independent spaces are struggling, seeing a fringe crowd show up in such huge numbers to support new writing is just beautiful. It gave the whole room an electric, anticipatory buzz before the lights even went down.

And thankfully, the show absolutely lived up to the hype. The concept here is pure comedic gold. We follow three old friends who decide to set up "The Fake Man Institute" - a spectacularly dysfunctional, utterly unregulated alternative therapy clinic. Their business model? They roleplay as the absent, toxic, or deeply problematic men in their clients' lives to help them find closure. Naturally, chaos completely hits the fan when one of the actors completely throws the rulebook out the window and starts dating a client. It is clever, chaotic, and desperately funny.

L.T. Hewitt’s writing is an absolute gift. The script is wonderfully funny, packed to the brim with sharp wit and impeccable comedic timing that had the audience roaring. But what makes Hewitt’s work so special is how beautifully it balances that laugh-out-loud humour with some seriously heavy, contemporary topics. It tackles things like incel culture, social isolation, workplace sexism, and deep family trauma, but it seamlessly incorporates them into a lightweight delivery. It never feels preachy or bogged down. Instead it just uses comedy to hold up a mirror to the weird world we live in.

The cast absolutely knocked it out of the park, and I need to shout out every single one of them because this ensemble is a masterclass in chemistry. As well as writing the piece, L.T. Hewitt also stars as Denny. He plays him as this wonderfully zany, slightly chaotic, but deeply lovable guy who anchors the comedy beautifully. Brontë Beckett was a total standout as Lucy, a self-confident influencer who is completely clueless when it comes to her own relationships. Beckett brings such a gorgeous vulnerability and truth to the role, never playing it for cheap laughs. Then we have Calum Goring, who plays the unloved client, Owen. Goring walks a magnificent tightrope between sanity and insanity, leaning into an excruciating, awkward social alienation that is both hilarious and deeply moving.

But the brilliance doesn't stop there. I have to talk about Charlie Wright as Sebastian, because I instantly fell in love with his performance. Wright brings an absolute bucketload of charm and warmth to the stage. He has this incredibly magnetic presence that completely wins you over the second he smiles. You just can't help but root for him. Rachel Greenwood is equally phenomenal as Michelle, grounding the chaotic clinic with a brilliant, sharp-witted energy that keeps everyone on their toes. Sadi Masego brings a spectacular, fiercely engaging presence to the role of Cass, delivering lines with razor-sharp precision. Finally Audrey Kong is an absolute scene-stealer as Joan, finding the perfect balance between comedy and heartfelt sincerity.

When it comes to the staging, the set design is rather basic, but to be completely honest, that is exactly where its strength lies. The stage features colored tape laid out across the floor to mark out sports playing areas, exactly like the ones you used to find in a school sports hall. It is a brilliant visual metaphor for the "rules of the game" these characters keep breaking.

The lighting design is similarly wonderfully simple yet highly effective. It changes just enough to shift the mood between therapy sessions, but it never tries to overcomplicate things. And honestly? When the quality of the writing and the acting is as sky-high as it is here, you just don’t need elaborate distractions or flashy special effects. The talent on stage completely fills the room.

Heather Collier's direction completely understands what needs to be done to tell the story effectively, filling the stage gloriously, whilst also allowing the audience in to the intimacy of the character arcs.

It is safe to say that after last week, I am now a bona fide fan of L.T. Hewitt’s writing. He is an exciting voice in comedy, and I cannot wait to see what comes next from his typewriter (or, more likely, his laptop!). Similarly, I am so incredibly excited to follow the careers of this entire talented cast.

Fringe theatre is alive and well, my friends, and THE FAKE MAN INSTITUTE proved it.

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 The Fake Man Institute was gifted by Unseen Theatre 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:

Rachel Greenwood as Michelle; Charlie Wright as Sebastian; L.T. Hewitt as Denny; Sadi Masego as Cass; Calum Goring as Owen; Brontë Beckett as Lucy; Audrey Kong as Joan

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 45 minutes, including interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Mental health and unorthodox therapy; Family trauma; Workplace harassment and sexism; Incel culture and radicalisation

AGE RECOMMENDATION:

12+

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