Allow me to begin by saying that Southbank Shakespeare’s Rude Nights at the Midland is a brand-new show, based loosely on the themes of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew—a comedy that, in modern times, has become the subject of endless debates about sexism, feminism, and whether a work written more than 450 years ago can still be considered comedy after dramatic societal and linguistic changes. Those debates will continue long after you and I are dust. They may be fascinating in a university theatre criticism class, but they’re far less interesting when you’re looking for a review of a punk/ska musical featuring more drama, betrayal, and raw, open contempt for Newark, Ohio, than I previously thought possible.
The cast feels enormous. The runtime is three and a half hours. Yet the performance never feels like a conventional play thanks to its ingenious framing device. We, the audience, have supposedly been let into the venue far too early by a security guard, and we’re watching a band’s soundcheck spiral into chaos as unresolved personal drama causes the concert to fall apart before it ever begins. The fourth wall isn’t merely broken—it is obliterated. There is a bit of audience participation, but it’s minimal and fits naturally within the concert setting.
Strong Performances
The entire cast excels at portraying a group of deeply complicated characters. I especially enjoyed Val Allen as Jessie, whose complex relationships with nearly everyone onstage are matched by outstanding vocals that bring genuine power to the heavier punk numbers.
Andrew Leonard is equally entertaining as Trevor, channeling what can only be described as a scumbag version of Jack Black while also serving as the show’s conflicted romantic lead. Alongside Jessie, Trevor drives much of the emotional momentum of the story.
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention Dylan Waters as Mark Everly. In a show filled with morally questionable people, Waters creates a villain audiences absolutely love to hate. Every “punch” Mark receives is both hilarious and deeply cathartic.
Although I’ve singled out these performances, the entire ensemble deserves recognition. Despite the large cast, no one feels lost in the shuffle. Each musical number feels carefully tailored to the personality of the character performing it, making every song feel distinctive.
Production Team
Timothy Andrew Leonard wrote, directed, and performs in this production—a genuine triple threat, and it shows. The script is laugh-out-loud funny in places, heartbreaking in others, and kept me thoroughly engaged for most of its considerable runtime.
Sam Blair’s sound design and music direction deserve equal praise. The playlist is a terrific mix of punk and ska that celebrates both genres, while the sound itself remains crisp and balanced throughout the basement performance space. Even at full volume, the music never overwhelms the performers.
Lauren Davidson, serving as stage manager, deserves recognition as well. Anyone familiar with theatre knows that a great stage manager can elevate a production while a poor one can derail it. Given the controlled chaos of this show, Davidson’s work is remarkable. Everything runs with impressive precision.
Southbank Shakespeare’s New Work is an Exciting Departure
This production is a genuine gamble for Southbank Shakespeare. The company is best known for presenting free Shakespeare in the park, an admirable mission that helps make live theatre accessible to everyone. This musical, however, is about as far removed from that tradition as one could imagine.
There’s also something delightfully surreal about hearing foul-mouthed punk rockers dropping F-bombs inside Thomas More University—a traditional Catholic institution. It almost feels as though the audience is about to get into trouble simply for being there. Oddly enough, that tension fits the show’s rebellious spirit perfectly.
The production’s greatest weakness is its length. At more than three hours, even the script jokes about how long it runs. Trevor quips that he probably wouldn’t have lasted as long as the audience. If the writers know it’s too long, that’s usually a sign that some editing is needed.
Several storylines revisit the same emotional territory multiple times. While each return reveals additional layers of the characters, the repetition eventually begins to wear thin. Mark getting punched repeatedly remains funny throughout, largely because he earns every blow, but even that running gag begins to overstay its welcome.
Likewise, Jessie’s lengthy emotional breakdown and Trevor’s attempts to comfort her are performed with honesty and realism, but the sequence stretches on long enough that the ending feels compressed by comparison. The deus ex machina that resolves the storyline involving the band abandoning Jessie also arrives rather abruptly, tying up loose ends a little too conveniently.
Overall, Applause for Southbank Shakespeare
Even so, I left the theatre smiling. This is an ambitious new work with genuine heart, memorable characters, and excellent music. It could certainly benefit from some refinement and a tighter edit, but I was genuinely glad for the experience.
Go see this show. Support new works. Support Southbank Shakespeare. Rude Nights at the Midland runs through July 19, 2026 at Thomas More University Theatre, right over the river in Crestview Hills, KY.
