Theatre Review: I Think I Might Cheat On My Girlfriend, Greenwhich Theatre

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I Think I Might Cheat On My Girlfriend is a theatre production centering Jermaine and Sasha’s romantic relationship. Transported into their world, we are introduced to their friends, the lives they lead and the temptations they face.

This is a Wright Brothers Entertainment Production, founded by cousins Tyrone and Kieran (aka Big Sheks) with the purpose of creating their own opportunities and bypassing gatekeepers. Jacks of all trades, they produce, write, direct, and even star in their productions. To top it off,  ‘I Think I Might Cheat On My Girlfriend’ stars some of the U.K’s finest; Adeola Patronne (Content Creator, Podcaster, Entrepreneur), Big Tobz (Rapper, Singer, Songwriter), Chioma Ibe (Actress), Leanne Savannah (Content Creator) and Fiona Michelle (Public Figure). 

One of the things I loved most about experiencing this production was the communal energy felt, seen and heard throughout. As we were taken on a rollercoaster of emotions, it felt like you were at home watching entertainment with your family and friends.

The play opens with Sasha (Chioma Ibe) engaged in conversation and we can deduce she is in a therapy session. What a way to open a show and introduce a character! As we know therapy is an incredibly personal experience, so to be invited into this space so quickly removed barriers that Sasha had in place for others. This is the only character we see go to therapy. 

We are exposed to challenges many heterosexual relationships face such as gender roles, with women expected to cook and men failing to assist with overall household duties. 

Jermaine’s friends expressed to him that he lost the “sparkle” in his eye. Has the honeymoon phase passed or is this a stark reminder that relationships require constant work to maintain said sparkle? Will Jermain succumb to temptation with Destiny? 

According to Jermaine (Big Tobz), Destiny (Leanne Savannah) has many “green flags” due to her occupation and attractiveness. This leads Jermaine to question why she’s single. Contrastingly, Samantha’s singleness seems to be a result of unfair judgement surrounding her occupation. 

Courtney (Tyrone) leads with his christianity and is on a quest to settle down. An endearing character but at times frustrating.

Carter (Kieran aka Big Sheks) is a gyalis however, I think it’s important to pay close attention to his words and actions. He talked about having other girls for “insurance” but what does he need insurance from? Is this a reflection of his partner or unresolved issues with self? The friendship dynamic between the men is incredibly entertaining due to their varying personalities.

The set design was brilliant and creative. With a circular platform that rotated during scene changes, we witnessed; various homes, a club, an office, a hairshop, a bar and a football pitch. The importance of environment was evident. The football pitch, hairshop and bar provided spaces for the men and women to vent and connect. Despite this, there were times during the show when you could see and hear the work done backstage to prepare the stage/set for the next scenes, which was distracting and affected the quality of the show. 

Occasional lack of attention to detail also affected the quality of the show. When the laptop was in use, it was clear no work was being done as we could see the login screen at times. With generative AI like ChatGpt, fake assignments/work could’ve easily been created. Furthermore, Sasha’s heavy shopping bags should’ve been filled with items, allowing the audience to better empathise with the literal/metaphorical load she is carrying within her relationship.

A choreographed dance routine would’ve made Fiona Michelle’s portrayal of an exotic dancer more convincing. From looking at Fiona’s Instagram page, her dance to Jhene Aiko’s P*$$Y Fairy would’ve been the perfect routine to perform. I did however like how elements of the exotic dancing scenes took place off stage, where we only heard dialogue, forcing the audience to use their imagination. 

Additionally, more attention to detail and creativity could’ve been paid to the music choices/transitions as some felt out of place and irrelevant. I did however like the use of Flo’s “Fly Girl”, Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me” and Mr Vegas’s “Man Ah Gallis”. Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” was brilliantly built into the dialog and I loved how the audience would sing along to certain songs throughout the show. It would’ve been great if Whitney Houston’s “It’s Not Right But It’s Ok” was used during one of the scenes with Carter and Nadine. Speaking of Nadine (Adeolla Patronne), there was a plot twist with her character that shocked me. I wish she faced the audience throughout her monologue as occasionally facing Carter’s direction ruined the cross-cutting effect. 

The writing was great! I also loved how the writers built the tension during the play leading up to the explosive drinks motive at Sasha and Jermaine’s house.

Tyrone explained that they “want to open up theatre to a brand new audience who might have a certain perception of what theatre might be.” If you or anyone you know has a negative perception of theatre or don’t think it’s for you, I’d recommend attending a Wright Brothers Production to shift that perception. Adeola praised the show for it’s “bonding” abilities, “humour” and “all black cast”. “You don’t really get much of that in theatre…It’s something else to do rather than regular brunch and club”. I couldn’t agree more. Try something new, challenge and shift perceptions.