Review: 00:45:00

📍 theSpace @Surgeons’ Hall - Stephenson Theatre

🗓️ 21st August 2026

🎟️ PR Invite

Written by Katie Gaven, 00:45:00 is a 50-minute play following an experiment where five people walk into a room, but only one can survive. Will everything go according to plan? I signed an NDA so I can’t tell you…

BUT, what I can say is that this is an incredibly unique and thought-provoking piece of theatre. As the five participants are locked into the room together, we are invited to watch their responses to each other and the situation they have found themselves in — all under the watchful eye of Scientist, Dr Wilison, who is a character I’m not entirely sure how I feel about as I watch the experiment play out.

The performances from this cast are great as their characters become increasingly worried and concerned for their own wellbeing. The physical acting in particular is a real highlight, ensuring that the individual stresses and fears of each character are clearly shared with the audience.

We learn about each of the characters — Piper (Grace Hoy), Nia (Zakiya Hall), Lonnie (Sam Wade), Eliana (Magda Riha) and Booker (Paris Finch) — and why they think they should be the ones to leave alive. There are a lot of different personalities brought into this room, and the characters are clearly distinct, creating a great balance for an “experiment” like this. There’s a good mix of light-hearted and humorous exchanges alongside tension and arguments. The clock on the wall behind them, counting down their time, only adds to the hysteria as they slowly come to realise that a decision must be made.

Dr Wilison (Mary Kathryn Brown) invites the audience to observe — at times checking in to see what we think and reminding us that it’s all part of an experiment, with everyone involved having signed a form agreeing to take part.

It’s a really interesting performance that makes you think about how people will react in a pressure-cooker situation — and who they will really put first. Who deserves to live? Who deserves to die? Is any of this fair?

I wasn’t sure what to expect from 00:45:00, but it’s a fascinating play that allows you to consider how humans might react when faced with a genuine life-or-death situation. There’s a great mix of comedy and fear throughout, alongside strong performances from the whole cast. The frantic nature of the play can, at times, feel a little difficult to follow, but overall, it’s a performance I really enjoyed.

00:45:00 runs at theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall until 28 August at 22:35.