Chickenshed explores the dark world of cults in its spring production The Washing Line, writes James Cracknell

The Washing Line at Chickenshed Theatre (credit Steve Gregson) — *The Washing Line* at Chickenshed Theatre (credit Steve Gregson)

Chickenshed is rightly known for its upbeat and colourful theatre productions featuring diverse casts of children and young adults – but that doesn’t mean it can’t occasionally tackle some serious and weighty issues.

The Washing Line is one such example, exploring a subject darker than surely any previous show in the charity’s 50-year history.

The spring production tells the story of the Jonestown Massacre of 1978, when more than 900 people belonging to The People’s Temple – a religious cult – took part in a mass suicide in South America. The tragedy has since been re-evaluated as mass murder because of the high levels of coercion of its victims.

While no prior knowledge of the story is needed to enjoy the show, the audience is rightly warned to expect “references to mass death and suicide, inspired by real historical events” with “graphic imagery and description”.

And in case anyone was any doubt, the show opens with the entire cast laid out on the floor, recreating the sea of bodies that investigators discovered upon their arrival on the scene of the remote tropical village of Jonestown, Guyana – they even lie in the entranceway for heightened effect.

The ‘traverse’ seating arrangement of the auditorium sees the stage extend the length of the theatre with seats facing each other on either side. The arrangement succeeds in creating a menacing atmosphere, placing everyone at the scene of the crime.

From the dramatic opening, the show zips backwards and forwards in time, from the months leading up to the massacre, to the event itself, its aftermath, and even interviews being conducted with survivors 20 years afterwards.

Such a time-jumping script could have been difficult to follow, but thankfully there are screen projectors for the audience which help to introduce each scene and cover any necessary background.

Out of this tragic tale and multiple scenes of death, Chickenshed still delivers on the spectacular musical set-pieces that it has always been known for, making effective use of the Jonestown Choir and the feelings of euphoria that members of The People’s Temple undoubtedly felt while in the presence of their charismatic leader Jim Jones.

Despite these interludes, no-one can be in any doubt about the darkness at the heart of this story, as Chickenshed pulls off a remarkable production of depth and dexterity. It also feels timely – while The Washing Line dates back to 2022, when Covid-19 restrictions limited the scope of its original run, bringing it back in 2025 at full-scale, with everything that’s going on in the world at the moment, feels fitting.

The Washing Line is running at Chickenshed Theatre in Southgate until 5^th April. For more information and to buy tickets:
Visit chickenshed.org.uk/events/the-washing-line

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