Guidelines review – teens try to escape the aftermath of a murder filmed on a phone

2026-02-08 - 11:25

New Diorama theatre, London James Nash’s doomscrolling play unpacks social media and the violence it hosts We piece together fragments. Distorted voice notes, the depths of the comments section and snatches of conversation make up James Nash’s lithe little nightmare. Unpacking the internet and the violence it plays host to, Guidelines follows the aftermath of a murder, filmed on a phone, as its impact ricochets outwards in real life and on our screens. Pip Williams’s clean direction immediately unsettles. Rachel-Leah Hosker and Alex McCauley flit between reeling off community guidelines for social media with fierce fixed smiles, and playing a pair of teens unable to escape the story of the girl who was murdered in the woods. Patch Middleton’s sound design sustains tension from the start, with a thundering message from a worried mother mutating into an ominous threat. Continue reading...