One Jab Cures All Provides Chaotic Farcical Comedy
'Turn the sound down!', writes Susan Stanley-Carroll
Rob Pomfret as Dr Max and Lauren Whitehill. Picture:
Lidia Crisafulli
January 17, 2026
“One Jab Cures All”, is performed by a vibrant, experienced cast, directed by award winning director Matthew Parker. A good proportion of the giggling, laughing audience were well tuned into a somewhat random script while others, like me, were trying to work out the weird flow of coincidences and others wanted to turn the sound down.
A scientific comedy-farce written by Lloyd Evans. It is a valiant attempt to question the thought that if a medication was invented that healed nearly all global illness who would be given the authority to market it? Would it be a multi-million pharmaceutical company that would charge massive prescription fees? Or an organisation that would place it on the open market for free?
Should it be kept it a secret? Doctors Max and Judy plus their team could make millions of pounds! However, if they shared the formula millions of lives would be saved. A conundrum for us all.
How would the medical profession react - particularly GPs? Their workloads would diminish. The NHS would be saved and healed. What a miraculous thought!
However, the script wobbled when, a debate on sperm donation, was introduced. It seemed irrelevant until the denouement toward the end of the play…. Maybe there were too many coincidences and odd moments that kept being forced into the main debate? For example, when Max glides into the laboratory, wearing full boffin kit, supposedly in disguise. Although he is not recognised by his colleagues it is very obvious to the audience that it is Max. This idea plus several other moments seem SO implausible and thus override our ‘suspension of disbelief’.
A jarring toxic relationship between colleagues, Dr Max and Dr. Judy, played energetically by Rob Pomfret and Sophie Machall, gave a sting to the plot. Whereas Felicity and Vic’s appealing tender, embryonic love match added sweeter moments - they were played by Jay Warn and Lauren Whitehill two versatile younger actors. All the actors jelled together as a finely tuned quartet.
However, it would have been very nice if, at times, the strident sound of the actors’ voices had been modified (a comment I have never uttered before as usually the actors need to project much more).
Alice Carroll’s set design and costumes give the production an authentic edge. Her neat and explicit set is ‘spot on’. Nat Green’s lighting and sound effects excel.
The cast of One Jab Cures All . Picture: Lidia Crisafulli
Maybe an edited, hour-long script, would have made the evening more palatable. Disappointing, but even if it was not my cuppa, many in the audience were clearly delighted in this original play with its dynamic cast and lively direction. Wonder if you will agree or not?
Susan Stanley-Carroll
One Jab Cures All runs from 14–31 January, with performances Wednesday to Friday at 7.30pm and Saturdays at 6pm with standard tickets ranging from £19.50 to £25.50 depending on date and concession status. The running time is 1 hour 50 minutes including an interval.
For booking and further details, visit the Tabard Theatre website or contact the box office directly.
Performances will take place at Theatre at the Tabard, 2 Bath Road, W4 1LW.
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