Kenrex
“THE American people cannot be allowed to believe that the law is imperfect….”
“911, what’s your emergency?” The voice on the other end is a woman, trembling as she tells the dispatcher, “My husband… they shot him… they all did.”
In Kenrex, Jack Holden portrays 11 characters in an extraordinary one-man show inspired by the true story of Ken Rex McElroy, a violent psychopath who terrorised the small town of Skidmore, Missouri.
The community, powerless in the face of his brutality, take justice into their own hands.
No one has ever been charged with his murder.
This sets the stage for the gripping narrative of McElroy, a man notorious for violent behaviour, including his predilection for underage girls.
This freewheeling production functions as a multimedia mixtape, with Holden riding the tempo like a DJ, aided by composer and on-stage musician John Patrick Elliot, whose deft fingers conjure an atmosphere of chaos.
Holden’s performance is nothing short of mesmerising. His ability to seamlessly morph into multiple characters—shifting from the town bully Ken to a distraught teenage girl—showcases his exceptional talent as a performer.
His transformations are enhanced by slick sound, lighting, and minimal props.
Kenrex is a sonic experiment, a technical feat that keeps the audience on edge. Holden’s vocal effects are perfectly timed, and his manipulation of microphones enhances the suspenseful atmosphere, making it feel as if we the audience itself are part of the narrative.
Subtitled “A True Crime Thriller”, this production benefits from precise sound design by Giles Thomas, who uses 18 different microphones to create a world rich with vocal effects and sound cues.
The show also features live toe-tapping country tunes and Midwestern folk rock, which further ground the action.
Lighting plays a crucial role, with a smart neon door frame on wheels signifying dramatic shifts in scene and character.
Co-written and directed by Ed Stambollouian, everything here is fast-paced and sharply timed, with humour served up at just the right moments.
Holden’s portrayal of the queasy showboating lawyer, stays with you long after the show ends. His skill in characterisation makes the story feel vibrant and alive—tragically human yet deeply unsettling.
Kenrex is a thrilling exploration of humanity’s basest instincts, underscored by a pervasive sense of unease.
It is exhilarating, terrifying, and compulsively entertaining theatre. At its core, the show boldly tackles justice, vengeance, and moral complexities.
The timing of the show feels particularly resonant in today’s cultural climate. In Trump’s America, the story of mob justice carries a strange and uncomfortable relevance.
In any case, Holden—currently under commission to the Almeida Theatre in London—proves himself to be a remarkable talent. We should look forward to whatever story he chooses to tell next.
There is a palpable thrill in this production; the show leaves you feeling excited, almost recklessly so.
How many shows achieve that?
Kenrex runs at Southwark Playhouse, Borough until 15 March 2025
