Make It Count. Louth Playgoers & Hambledon Productions. Riverhead Theatre, Louth. 17June 2026.

Last night, Review Culture was invited to review the dress rehearsal of the brand-new play Make It Count by James Sweeney, directed by John Hewer. The script of the play has gone through many iterations, beginning life as a film script and then being rewritten for the stage during the Louth theatre's Scriptwriting Course (led by Hewer). It was put on its feet during the 2025 Scratch Night competition and subsequently romped to victory, winning the chance to be given a fully staged, two act presentation that opens Thursday19th June 2026.

Having seen this play performed, I am confident in recommending it to all, if you haven't got a ticket, the best availability is either Thursday or Friday, though the tickets are selling really well, and you may be unlucky unless you rush to book via the Riverhead Theatre's box-office. I am certain that you won't be disappointed by the play if you are lucky enough to see it.

The initial set-up is a familiar one, the play opens with a young married couple in bed when the husband wakes with a start and chokes to death, only to realise in the afterlife that he has been taken too early, by mistake. He is given the chance to redeem himself and to live his life again - but with a catch. He must go back to the day of his first date with his wife and woo her once more, changing nothing in order to earn his marital bliss afresh. I am trying to be careful what I say because I don't want to give away too many spoilers whilst reviewing. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this play.

Make It Count is by turns whimsical, funny and challenging at times. The plot contains unexpected twists and turns and we worry that there may be no happy ending. You will have to see how and why for yourselves and discover if everyone lives happily ever after by buying tickets. Sweeney is clearly a talented writer with a wonderful imagination and has worked really hard to craft and hone his script before bringing it to life on stage. He is certainly a writer to watchout for in future productions and he brings a keen sense of craft to bear in his writing. He is able to take a difficult topic and to bring light and shade to illustrate the varied facets effectively.

The play features a cast of three actors who all bring a high standard of performance to the play. Their chemistry as a team is evident and the fact that they are credible in each of their roles is a tribute to Sweeney, Hewer and the actors themselves. The play follows the life and (and afterlife) of Jonas Turner, his wife Lilly and a celestial guide named Noah. We launch into the action straight away and the path the play will follow is established almost immediately.

Jonas is performed by the exceptionally charismatic Brayden Kerr. I have seen and reviewed Kerr previously in other productions and had the privilege of seeing him recently bring one of my creations to life when Acting Lincs produced Head Space, an anthology of my own playwriting over the last thirty years. His character then could not be further from Jonah in Make It Count. Here, Jonah is a likeable everyman. Through no fault of his own, lawyer Jonah is taken to the next life and Kerr brings a naivety to the role as the innocent culled too soon and desperate to return to his loving wife. We are rooting for Jonah throughout as Kerr makes him a sympathetic hero. However, although he is the protagonist, he is not without flaws and those flaws corrupt his return to the earthly realm.

Lily is portrayed by Laura Thompson, in a really strong performance as the loving, attentive wife - Jonah's true soulmate. Thompson succeeds in making Lily a likeable, dependable but strong woman capable of knowing her own mind and not just being there to support Jonah in his quest. Her comic timing is superb and her facial expressions bring so much to the character, reflecting the inner turmoil Lily goes through after the celestial "cock-up". Thompson, interestingly is a former winner of the Louth Scratch Night too, having penned the highly amusing Bev's Baps, reviewed previously by Review Culture. She has an knack for comedy and yet also brings a dramatic edge to the performance when necessary. Audiences will really enjoy her performance during Act Two.

Finally, the celestial guide named Noah is portrayed by stalwart performer Derek Hodges. Noah appears, initially, to be cut from the same cloth as Clarence in It's A Wonderful Life, Marius Goring's Conductor 71 in A Matter of Life and Death, or James Mason's Mr Jordan in Heaven Can Wait. Dressed in white, the character is instantly recognisable as an unearthly presence as the white suit positively glows under the stage lighting; I was instantly reminded of Marty Hopkirk in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). However, despite my references to all those who have come before him, Hodges brings a depth and a warmth to his character that marks him out from his forebears. Noah has an apologetic humility that is often lacking in such a character and his passion for Jammy Dodgers is a lovely touch. Rather than being w wise, all-knowing being, Noah carries himself in the vein of a slightly hen-pecked husband and Hodges performs the role beautifully.

The ensemble works exquisitely and audiences will be both amused and charmed as the lay reaches its conclusion, I cannot recommend this feelgood story enough. During these crazy, unpredictable times in which we find ourselves, Make It COunt is a ray of sunshine and optimism that we all need.

Andy Evans 17 June 2026