‘a long, cold, at times chill-inducing conversation in which some of the most violent acts of our time are treated with matter-of-fact professionalism by the characters’
When a Grok-style AI company specialising in allowing its users to transform their most private fantasies into pornographic videos comes under scrutiny for using real-world porn and unconsenting people in its algorithms, a young female lawyer meets with one of the founders to sell herself as their saviour and CLO (Chief Legal Officer). What follows is a long, cold, at times chill-inducing conversation in which some of the most violent acts of our time are treated with matter-of-fact professionalism by the characters. But as the controversial young dressing-gown-wearing entrepreneur slowly steers the exchange towards increasingly dangerous territory, the stakes are made personal and the masks begin to fall.
It is a very tall task to take what happens in the online space and dramatise it as a tangible theatrical event between two present, flesh-and-blood humans. At its best, Tabu works as an argument in favour of this attempt, as its transition from abstract debate to actual violence helps us feel the realities of virtual rape on a visceral level. One moment featuring the sound of a dog barking was particularly disturbing, as was the setting overall.
That said, although these character dynamics, and indeed the actors’ performances, gain considerable momentum in the last act of the play, the build-up lacks the full energy required to make even the juiciest kind of business talk entertaining. Including some tension earlier on would likely improve this piece and help the audience to accept some of the more fanciful elements of the drama.
Moreover, by the end, audiences might be left with some uncomfortable questions about the play’s message. Without revealing too much, it must be said that, as the play tackles a very real form of violence committed disproportionately towards women, who the authors choose to teach a lesson to and exactly how that lesson is learned matter a great deal. As such, it feels as though the creatives involved could have given this question a little more thought.
Tabu is a new play and will be showing at Barons Court Theatre as part of GrimFest until 27 October.
CW: Sexual assault, online bullying, illegal pornography
Reviewer: Natalie Morris
Review Date: 24th October 2026
Star Rating: TWO