London Theatre Review: “Steaks and Lesbians” at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre
Rating: ★★★★
Running Dates: Sunday 16th August-Thursday 20th August
Where to see it: The Lion & Unicorn Theatre, London
Duration: 1 hour (no interval)
Review
No show has ever delivered on its premise quite as closely as “Steaks and Lesbians”. It is, as expected, as story about two lesbians trying to cook steak. But it is also an incredibly clever commentary on queer dating, non gender-conforming relationship dynamics, and the eternal search for a love that was quietly holding our hand all along.
At the back of a gorgeous pub in Camden lies The Lion & Unicorn Theatre. You step in the room and immediately you’re in someone’s kitchen, a table full of ingredients, kitchen cupboards spilling over with pint glasses. In this crammed London’s flat live Stevie (Ryley Pennycard) and River (Billie Billington), two best friends that, in an attempt to cook a steak dinner, discover how deep their friendship really runs, and the beauty of a love that’s quiet, ordinary, yet majestic.
River, who’s recently gone through a devastating breakup, is resigned to letting their feelings wither, and not pursuing them any longer; Stevie, despite their own feelings toward River, encourages them to hold on onto that love, and to fight for what they really want.
Written by Kitty June Barker and co-directed by Barker Amelia C. Owens, Steaks And Lesbians opened last night as part of this year’s Camden Fringe. While being only an hour long, the show is packed full of hilarity, wittiness, and genuine emotion. Both characters are extremely well fleshed out, and they come alive on stage thanks to the incredible performances of Pennycard and Billington. The comedic timing was spot-on, and made only better by the amazing sound design and the impromptu dance moves of Stevie and River.
The writing is clever and self-aware: Barker abandons all mainstream stereotypes about queer relationships, apart from when they offer the perfect punchline. The show offers an intimate, realistic, and powerful look onto what being a lesbian means in 2026, and what it means to navigate queer relationships especially in the digital era.
Watching a show on opening night is always special, but this one felt particularly unique as it speaks of something so relatable yet so intimate and personal. One not to miss.
Written by Roberta Guarini
We were kindly gifted these tickets in exchange for a review