Darkly comic and deeply unsettling, Philip Ridley’s debut 1991 play The Pitchfork Disney is now playing at London’s  Kings Head Theatre.

Ten years ago something terrible happened to Presley and Haley. Since then they’ve lived alone in their dead parents’ house, doors bolted against the terrors of the world. But, one night, Presley sees a beautiful stranger on the street outside. And while his sister sleeps…he invites in their worst nightmare.

What I found interesting about this performance was that everyone seemed to have a different interpretation of the story. For me, I saw this as Presley’s nightmare played out on stage. Both Hayley and Presley take their sleeping tablets together, at the same time and it is only when Hayley falls asleep that madness ensues.

The random stranger (a magician of sorts in a bright red sparkly jacket) Cosmo Disney and his rubber gimp costumed friend Pitchfork make up the evil character of Presley’s nightmares which he calls The Pitchfork Disney. But have they really entered his house or just his dream?

I felt they were children, living in a fantasy world – one where they were grown up and living together, eating nothing but chocolate. When Hayley sleeps she sucks on a dummy and it is mentioned that she ‘sleeps all the time’ – is this because of her medication or is she in fact a baby that drifts in and out of the nightmare. Even the sexual assault aspect is childish, with the perpetrator jamming his finger in and out of her mouth whilst making groaning noises – is this because Presley is so young he doesn’t understand how sex works?

Philip Ridley’s play is beautifully written in poetic language and with huge monologues that make you want to stand and applaud after each one. Vomit inducing at times with depictions of eating live cockroaches and frying snakes live before eating them – The Pitchfork Disney is a difficult play to stomach at times. But it is also incredibly funny.

Trigger warnings listed for the play include violent language, references to death and murder, homophobic and xenophobic language, references to child abuse, depiction of sexual assault, depiction of drug abuse, vomiting and psychological distress, so this isn’t one for the easily disturbed.

The young cast (Elizabeth Connick, Ned Costello, William Robinson) are all brilliant in what must be an exhausting piece to perform night after night. It must have also been a nightmare to learn the lengthy script but there is something so beautiful about its writing that it seems to just flow.

The Pitchfork Disney is an incredibly powerful play. I don’t know if my interpretation of it was accurate but it was mine and that is the beauty of great writing like this – it allows the viewer to open their imagination and go on their own 90 minute journey.

★★★★★

West End Wilma

The Pitchfork Disney plays at King’s Head Theatre until 4 October 2025