Cooked (A Riverside R&D Sharing)
Summer 2023. It’s Ali and Lee’s final Fresher’s week. But instead of chugging jaegers down the union, they’re cooking up a plan that will change their lives forever.
Autumn 2033. The pair stand across from each other. Estranged. Carrying scars from punch-ups and hair transplants. The country is on the brink of collapse. And so are they.
As they’re flung back in time, the men question how they got here? And if there’s anything left to save?
Cooked is a time-hopping, whirlwind comedy drama that follows two best friends turned worst enemies over one life-changing year and one explosive night.
It is a story of big dreams and deep prejudice that asks if a friendship can survive a culture war that threatens to engulf a country?
This sharing was selected for our R&D at Riverside Programme - providing free rehearsal space for new writing. Every year we offer several opportunities for free rehearsal space with a ticketed sharing of the very best brand-new work that would otherwise face financial barriers in securing space. Supporting new work is at the heart of what we do, and buying a ticket for this sharing helps us to fund future opportunities for artists.
Written by Louis Catliff
Louis is a playwright and filmmaker based in North London. He is a former member of the Menagerie Young Writers’ Programme ‘24 and Jerwood-HighTide New Writing group ‘26 where he developed Cookedwhile being mentored by Kelly Jones and Lucy Kirkwood.
Praise for previous work:
Arseholeat Chaos Night III, Pleasance Islington
- “Louis Catliff stands out” – ★★★★, Reviews Hub
- “comedic genius” – ★★★★, Broadway World
Justine Stops Oilat The Glitch in Waterloo
- “sharp, funny and heartfelt” - ★★★★, Everything Theatre
Shellshock! at the Edinburgh Fringe
- Nominated for a Scottish Arts Club Award 2019
- Theatre Weekly, ★ ★ ★ ★, ‘a wild, inventive show that will make you laugh’
- Bouquets and Brickbats, ★ ★ ★ ★, ‘funny and endearing’
- All Edinburgh Theatre, ★ ★ ★ ★, ‘Hilarious’
- Musical Theatre Review, ★ ★ ★ ★, ‘laugh-out-loud with a dark underbelly’
The Voices We Hear at the Edinburgh Fringe
- FringeReview, Recommended Show, ‘a perfect piece’
- All Edinburgh Theatre, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★, ‘touching and very well written’
- Student Newspaper, ★ ★ ★ ★, ‘Harrowing, soul-rending and poignant’
- Theatre Weekly, ★ ★ ★ ★, ‘If the world is to end in our lifetimes, you’ll want to have experienced this intensely moving drama first’
Directed by Josh Mathieson
Josh Mathieson is an Essex/London-based director and voice coach who trained at Royal Central. He has worked nationally and internationally and is Associate Director on Witness for the Prosecution at London’s County Hall. With credits across fringe, touring and commercial theatre, Josh will next direct the 2026 UK tour of Dial M for Murder.