Did Windfall win the jackpot? Windfall makes its UK debut at Southwark Playhouse

What would you do if you win the lottery? That is the key question of Windfall, a brand-new comedy directed by Mark Bell (The Play That Goes Wrong, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery).

The plot focuses on five office workers who are slowly on the brink, with their chaotic lives and unhinged, maniacal boss driving them crazier by the day. One day, they decide to risk it all on a $500 million lottery ticket in the hopes of escaping to a better life. Absolut chaos ensues as greed and desperation takes over.

The plot is very well written, with the first act focusing on exploring the office life, introducing all the characters and their relationships with each other. The audience feels part of the office, especially with the thrust seating of the Southwark Playhouse. You begin to see the cracks in everyone's lives and how unhinged they become after a new girl comes in with the threat of taking one of their jobs. The second act is then complete chaos, with fights, plot twists and pivotal moments. The pacing of the show is done very well, with the chaos being built up to and then let loose, the contrast between the two acts works brilliantly to juxtapose one another and show how insane the workers have become. It is truly shocking how crazy the show gets, with gasps being spread around the audience and anticipation humming around the room.

The shows comedy is also very strong. The audience are laughing from start to finish. The actors’ comedic timing is very commonly spot on and the whole experience leaves the audience still chuckling on the way home. Some viewers may have an issue with the vast amount of swearing but the curse words do add some great moments, especially one towards the end that got the biggest laugh with a simple “F**k You”. This shows the simplicity yet the intelligence of the humour. It works so well to give a real-life vibe but also show the unhinged comedic moments too.

A standout performance comes from Audrey Anderson, who makes her UK stage debut. She nailed the role of Hannah, the “nice” girl next door, trying to escape her tragic life and horrid husband. Her characterisation is perfect, even showing in Act 1 with her interactions with Joanne Clifton as Jacqueline how unhinged and on the brink Hannah is. A sneak preview to the absolute carnage we will see in Act 2. She has also mastered the crazy eyes, you can see the desperation of the character and she throws herself into all the action that happens, making every moment believable. Joanne Clifton owns her character, but it could be argued that she’s a bit wasted in this role. The character of Jacqueline is distanced from the other core workers and there’s not much reason why except that she’s a catalyst for the lottery ticket plot. This distances her from the audience, who are naturally rooting for the group they have been watching from the start. However, she nails the character from prim and proper to judging the craziness around her to then becoming part of the crazy mob.