Elling by Simon Bent
Reviewed by Katherine Kearsley
I saw the dress rehearsal of Elling last night. The play is endearing and so well written.
I will preface this by saying that after reading the play blurb, it wasn’t a play that instantly stood out as something I’d enjoy, but along I went to support friends involved.
Before it started, I was hoping there were enough people around that I could sneak out halfway through as invariably my mind starts wandering or the seats get uncomfortable, but I discovered I was the only one who’d been invited to come along. Cue panic stations.
But man was I surprised. Once the play started, it was a different story. I honestly didn’t think I’d enjoy it, but the story draws you in little by little, until you find yourself smiling, really loving the characters and hoping for the best for them.
The honesty and inner workings of the main characters, Elling and Kjell Bjarne, as they navigate a new world outside of the ‘nut house’ is compelling, raw and just …….endearing. It’s the perfect word for this play.
The simplest tasks seem monumental, but through it all this unlikely friendship develops, attracting others into their orbit.
I was reminded of watching ‘Love on the Spectrum’. I wasn’t sure the first time I watched it and was apprehensive about whether producers would treat the contestants respectfully or it would be a shambles. But watching it, the honesty, raw truth and bluntness of participants was mind blowing. If only everyone can be so up front and candid in this day and age of dating.
It’s a similar feeling with Elling. You find yourself rooting for the characters: Hoping for the best for them, loving their honesty and bluntness and quirky ways of doing things, and laughing at their interactions with the other characters as they develop and adjust to life in the ‘real’ world.
Now for the actors.
Simon Deighton as Elling portrays the neurotic, unsure, awkward and prudish character with a vulnerability that is ‘endearing’ (I know but it’s honestly the perfect word). You can’t help but start to feel empathy for him and hope that he can change and adapt enough in the ‘real world’ to survive. Simon is a great actor and really brings Elling and his struggles to life.
Sam Downes as Kjell Bjarne is a perfect fit too. His outrageous, no-filter, hyper-sexualised but also vulnerable portrayal is a stark contrast to that of Elling, but somehow the two form this unlikely friendship, which builds through mutual fears of being alone, being judged, and ultimately failing and being sent back to the institution. You can’t help but end up loving them both.
The supporting cast are excellent too. Cian Jones as the pair’s social worker, Frank Asli, starts out as a bit of a hard arse. He’s clearly overworked, and looking for an easier time of it and just wanting them to get their lives together so he doesn’t have to deal with them anymore. But throughout the play a softer, more empathetic side emerges, and he too ends up amazed and delighted at how Elling and Kjell Bjarne are adapting to their new life. Cian plays the character excellently and you can feel his frustrations and ultimately his shock and awe at their unfolding lives.
Lucy Simpson plays a myriad of characters in the play including the grumpy, strict hospital warden Gunn, to the upstairs neighbour of Elling and Kjell Bjarne, Reidun Nordsletten. She adapts well to the changing characters and personalities and brings laughs and lightness to a play that deals with some pretty heavy themes.
Kim Whitaker plays Alfons Jorgenson, an unlikely friend to Elling at first and then to Kjell Bjarne and Reidun. I was not quite sure about his character, whether I liked him or not or if he was even real. But again, the way that Kim develops the character throughout the course of the play is excellent, and you start to get a better sense of who Alfons is.
My only critique is that the accents were a little iffy at times, slipping into Norwegian and back into a Kiwi but that’s pretty much my only critique. I’m a believer that if you don’t do it perfectly, stick with what you know or who you are. It’s better to be in an accent you know than risking the switch back and forth as that can distract from the acting.
Despite dealing with the theme of mental health and institutionalisation, the play is full of light moments, laughs and it’s …… yes, I’m going to say it again….endearing to see the characters develop and how their lives ultimately change and adapt.
My usually scattered brain somehow managed to stay engaged, and I was invested in the characters and wanting only the best for them by the end of the play. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this play. I didn’t see Stones in His Pockets as I had the dreaded flu at the time, but I’m glad I saw this one and would recommend going to see it, even if it’s something you think you won’t like. It’s honestly great, and for a community play, excellently acted and produced, and truly endearing.
Katherine Kearsley, 28 October 2026
