Madness, Murder and Milk: ‘The Milkman Cometh’ Delivers at London Horror Festival
Not for the faint of heart, the easily offended or the lactose intolerant, The Milkman Cometh is the dairy-based comedy horror you never knew you wanted. Kicking off this year’s London Horror Festival at the Pleasance Theatre until the 10th of October, this unique offering blends folk horror, doom metal and a grotesque dark humour worthy of The League of Gentlemen.
At some point in the not-too-distant future, world governments, deciding that cow emissions are the leading cause of climate change, will seek to combat the bovine menace with mass cow burnings. The fires sweep out of control, transforming the world into a barren hellscape of mutants, bandits and the cackling insane. Enter Liz (Lydia Hourihan), a lone, hard-boiled survivalist riding through the wasteland on her trusty motorbike.
When Liz finds herself broken down and stranded outside the village of Cud, something tells her that all is not well. The villagers are obsessed with the legendary figure of The Milkman, an entity who provides the sacred drink in exchange for their total obedience. But could it be that this eerie folk belief hides a much darker secret? (yes.)
Soon Liz is fighting her way to freedom and uncovering the true nature of Cud, all accompanied by the grinding riffs of 3-piece metal outfit Fuck Slurry.
Written by Alice Bounce, Maxwell Tyler and Owen Jenkins, this surreal tale is sure to delight and nauseate in equal measure. A highlight is Dominic Allen’s turn as the odious village mayor. He expertly blends pomposity and lecherousness in a spectacularly sinister performance.
With so many bizarre ideas floating around the stage, it would be all too easy for the production to feel baggy or muddled. However, Katherine Timms‘ direction is lean and on point. With only five cast members (Dominic Allen, James Keningale, Alice Bounce and Owen Jenkins) and a tight hour to play with, the play moves at a hectic but controlled pace. The driving rhythms of Fuck Slurry speed the audience through a parade of puns, murder and gross-out humour. Eccentric, creative and crude, The Milkman Cometh is the perfect show to get the ball rolling for this year’s London Horror Festival.
Tickets are available here!