As an NSTA representative, I had the pleasure of watching ArtsEd London’s BTEC Acting cohort present their production of Peep Show on the evening of Friday 6th March 2026. Directed with excellent instincts and attention to detail by Lizzie Bellamy, this rarely performed physical theatre musical showcased remarkable talent among these young performers.
As noted in the programme, Peep Show is a sharp, mischievous and compellingly modern drama. It explores the private lives and hidden desires of ordinary people living in a city apartment block, revealing what happens behind closed doors. The piece incorporates Frantic Assembly’s signature stylised movement, interwoven with overlapping scenes that allow the audience to “peep” into moments of intimacy, conflict and vulnerability.
Upon entering the modern theatre space, we were greeted with a captivating image of contemporary living on the stage. With multiple levels, the set revealed a range of living spaces, including a living room, bedroom, bathroom and what appeared to be a cosy corner turn photo room. The lighting was atmospheric from the outset, with red hues hinting at the intimacy to come. The set was simple yet detailed, creating a clear sense of place.
The piece began with a high-energy physical theatre sequence, for which cast member Alfie led the movement direction. From the outset it was clear that the strong cast of seven were fully committed to the style and embodied their characters with confidence. There was a sense of flow and anguish through the movements, with each actor appearing to be reaching beyond their limits for something that they could not quite grasp. The lighting design particularly shone here, with a cyclorama shifting colour to reflect mood, while LED light sticks added a striking sense of spectacle.
As the performance continued, it became clear that this was truly an ensemble piece. Scenes moved fluidly between apartments, both in location and pace, as the skilful performers transitioned seamlessly across the stage. There was never a moment when the space felt empty; even when a scene was focused in one apartment, the other performers remained fully present in their characters.
Tiolu was particularly impressive from the outset as the alcohol-fuelled and abrasive George. She delivered a remarkable performance, highlighting the regret and guilt that can accompany alcoholism while maintaining a sense of humour and warmth. In a memorable moment when her partner Ben was asleep, she delivered a fantastic monologue describing how much she loved him while he slept, but not when he was awake, which had the audience in stitches due to the utter relatability.
Tiolu was superbly supported by her onstage partner Ben, played by Tobias, who drove the narrative as he attempted to prevent George from embarrassing herself. As the play progressed, we saw him behaving more intimately with Sharon, played by Alice, leading the audience to question his apparent kindness and loyalty. Tobias balanced humour and poignancy beautifully as his character’s frustrations unfolded. Alice also showed maturity beyond her years, portraying Sharon as a woman trapped in an unsatisfying relationship with Richard. Her use of physical theatre to convey entrapment, combined with her expressive singing voice, was particularly captivating.
Richard, played by Max, embodied the archetypal “bad guy”. We see him bring home a tacky gold necklace for Sharon, demonstrating his preference for buying gifts rather than offering the affection she truly desires. His physicality evoked a “Del Boy” swagger, as Sharon describes him, yet there was also a brutish edge which Max played extremely well, bellowing from the upstage stairs before howling like a werewolf alongside Sarah, played by Aaliyah.
The interwoven storylines continued with the relationship between Sarah and Kate, played by Matilda, offering a poignant depiction of unrequited love. This was heightened by Sarah’s protectiveness towards Kate as she approached the lonely Richard, played with touching naivety by Alfie.
Every member of the cast delivered a standout performance while supporting one another throughout the piece. They remained always immersed in their characters, sustaining the energy required for this fast-moving production. It was difficult to believe this was a school performance rather than a degree-level production – or even a piece by Frantic Assembly’s own company. The cast maintained their commitment from beginning to end, leaving me eager to discover more about this compelling play.