JUDAS Exclusive at ZOO Southside Review
Jesus is dead. Judas is enemy number one and there is only one way to clear his name. That’s to appear on Simona Tonight, a once popular chat show, to tell the people what really happened between him and the son of God.
Taking place predominantly in a television studio, the piece takes no time immersing its audience in the chaos of big personalities on a small screen. Beth Mullen plays host Simona with glamour and what can only be described as a delightful Cilla Black-style dialect, drinking her way through interviews and beyond.
The piece speaks true to a lot of struggling factors in today’s culture. Television viewership continues to decline, leading to the peculiar desire to bring rage-baiting and cancel culture to mainstream media only for the sake of eyes on screen instead of phones. The satirical design is paired nicely with the almost B-plot line of other well-known television shows parodied in 33AD Judea, giving some easy comedy to digest whilst still wondering what was going to happen next on the Simona Tonight sofa.
Written by Will McDowell, there never feels like a dumbing down of the religious aspects, which was a worry for me prior to the show. Instead, it tells the story in a celebrity interview style, helping to stay engaged throughout. There is also a good balance in the taunts Judas (Nick Read) and Peter the Disciple (McDowell) give to one another, almost leaning into political debate territory.
JUDAS Exclusive delves into not just religious matters, getting into the mindset of two of Jesus’ friends, but also closer examining the changes in societal expectations of television culture. That it is more enjoyable to watch the miscontent of others than to see people get along and succeed in life. If you adore Jesus Christ Superstar, Graham Norton and Alan Carr, get yourself down to Zoo Southside before the chariot races begin.
JUDAS Exclusive plays at ZOO Southside until 28 August.
★★★★★
Written by Kerry for Theatre and Tonic, August 2026.
