By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 3 October and runs through 10 October 2026 RUNTIME: 120 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Author Ava Pickett is longlisted for our Best New Play monsta for 1536 (Ambassadors Theatre) and don’t be surprised to see this modern-day update of the Helen Of Troy story join it on the soon-to-be-announced shortlist.

• Read on for reasons including how the West End deserves to see this fiery writing topped off by Dockery’s astonishing transformation

You join us in current day Essex where Laura Aikman’s Cee is preparing for the return of former best friend Helen accompanied by their husbands Mario and Marcus.

Helen arrives blood-spattered and shaking, quite clearly suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, and immediately the audience is struck by how much emotional distance has built up between the 2 women despite having been inseparable earlier in their lives.

Dockery plays Helen and, if you remember her from her role in Downton Abbey as we do, you’ll be amazed at her transformation here speaking colloquially and a million miles from the fictional early 20th century Yorkshire country estate where she made her name.

We won’t give a great deal away about the plot but this story is especially timely given the popularity of The Odyssey in cinemas currently and Electra/Persona at the National Theatre.

Keep an eye on Maimuna Memon (Standing At The Sky’s Edge, National Theatre) who plays Cee’s cleaner here but pivots about a third of the way into this fascinating play as events take a darker more immediately relevant turn and we learn more about the returning Helen’s immediate past, why she left and the circumstances of her return.

Ethan Moorhouse as the narrating Messenger does a great job in rooting these events in current-day Essex where immigrant tensions are rife and riots a spark away from being incited.

The subject matter, particularly the subjugation of women by violent unthinking men, reminds of 1536 and author Pickett has a wonderful way of writing her female characters with their conversations feeling entirely natural, warm, funny and yet also occasionally devastating.

The end is perhaps Bloodsport‘s undoing because it feels unnecessary and far-fetched but it’s a rollercoaster ride of unexpected events to get to that point.

The audience at this near end run performance was predominantly female and their reactions to this piece suggest that they both enjoyed it but perhaps more importantly recognised the feeling of being downtrodden but also the determination not to allow it to persist.

Bloodsport‘s run at Stratford East finishes soon and we’d definitely recommend seeing it there but surely there’s also a place in the West End to see this fiery writing topped off by Dockery’s astonishing transformation at its core.

• Main pictures by via Facebook courtesy Stratford East Tickets
• Have you seen an Ava Pickett show before and what did you think ofit? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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