Doctor William Holloway has one thing on his mind as he walks into a newly opened assisted dying clinic in London where they promise a personal, dignified experience and where customer service is their speciality. He is welcomed by a cheerful receptionist named Vivi (Monica Lopera) who greets him, “Welcome to Goodbye, the right place to leave this world with dignity”, writes Linda Emmanuel.
Before his wish can be granted, he has to fill in multiple forms. If filled in correctly, Vivi presses a light green light; if not, it gets a red light, a task she evidently enjoys as the Doctor becomes increasingly frustrated with the process. At one point, he gets a large hula hoop to jump through, a physical representation of the frustration of having to deal with bureaucracy.
The last form, however, poses an obstacle; he must have a witness. He explains that he has no friends. He is a disciplined depressive who drinks every night, never looks at himself in the mirror, and doesn’t know anyone who could be his witness. The receptionist, who, through their encounters, has fallen for him. She tells him her name is Vivi and she knows how she can help him. If he agrees to go on a date with her, and they get to know each other, then she could be his witness. He reluctantly agrees to this.
Doctor William Holloway was played by the director, Miguel Torres Umba, who stepped in to cover for Samuel Anderson, who, unfortunately, was unable to appear due to illness. The relationship between the performers was playful; Monica Lopera’s Vivi is flirtatious, coquettish, and witty. Considering he had the script to hand, Miguel’s Doctor was perfectly dour and miserable. Vivi shares the story of her brush with death following a motorcycle crash with her now ex-‘ugly’ boyfriend named Felipe.
After a few dates, they build a connection and have a love story of sorts, with walks in the park, sharing ice cream, and going on a carousel, all of which are comically depicted. Would this love story make William change his mind about his decision to go to Goodbye?
With references to self-harm, depression, grief, and infant death, it would be easy to get heavy, but this dark comedy handles the subjects with a light, empathetic touch. It brought both laughter and a few tears, which is testament to the power of theatre to be a safe space to explore the darker side of life.
Written by Alejandra Chamorro Cuevas. Translated by Monica Lopera
Part of the Housemates Festival 2026 at the Brixton House Theatre until 19th September 2026
booking and full details: https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/
