Housing Horrors: This Is Private Property Reviewed

Confused by the ins and outs and ups and downs of the London housing crisis? This new play at Camden People's Theatre, part of its very necessary Whose London Is It Anyway? season, is a great primer. By the end of a hectic hour and a half, you will come away with a clearer picture of just why rents are so high, why the dream of buying a house is exactly that, and why some people are now living in sheds, in the cupboard under the stairs and, in one case, a walk-in fridge. Whether you have a clearer picture of how we can turn things around however is an altogether knottier question.

This fast-paced, funny and informative show is packed with alarming stats and quotes as it weaves journalistic insights around the fictional, but all too credible, story of a single mum's eviction and consequent tumble through a system that would have made Kafka baulk. Brian Logan directs four young and opinionated actor-investigators Joe Boylan, Rachael Ofori, Tope Mikun and Gemma Rowan, channelling their own gripes into a brash and playful show that includes punk songs in monkey masks, a hot-stepping baby (who does not want to move to Birmingham) and the kidnapping of Holly Valance's husband.

Its low budget look and rough around the edges styling disguises the very careful thinking behind the show. There's even a section where each of the four actors sum up in 30 seconds how they would fix the current problems, which you'll want to rewind and pick over in detail.

This Is Private Property runs at Camden People's Theatre, 58-60 Hampstead Road NW1 2PY, until 30 January. Tickets £10-12. Londonist saw this play on a complimentary ticket.

Whose London Is It Anyway? continues throughout the month and includes a range of Londonist-run talks tackling the big questions facing the capital today.