Review: 'All Mixed Up' by Jack & Antonia

Through comedy, song, and dancing like no one’s watching, Jack Benjamin and Antonia Mellows / All Mixed Up tell a heartfelt story, based on their own and other mixed-race couples' real-life experiences. Directed by Nicola Stuart-Hill, this piece reveals the chaos and beauty of raising a mixed-race child in today’s world. You’d think society would have moved past its ignorance, yet questions like “Is he yours?” and “Is he adopted?” persist, and this show tackles them with wit and warmth.

At the centre of the piece is a simple but ingenious prop: a bright yellow blanket, stretched across the stage and transformed into countless objects as the story unfolds. It becomes a striking symbol of both separation and unity.

Jack, a playful and clumsy character, and Antonia, bubbly but naive, take the audience on a journey from their first meeting to the challenges of parenthood. When their son is born, Antonia begins to see the world through her black husband’s eyes, confronting the subtle erasure of her motherhood as a white woman with a black son, and the harsh realities her husband has long faced.

In this two-hander, both performers are captivating with their chemistry, effortless, and their humour is disarming. The transitions between comedy and heartbreak are seamless, keeping the audience laughing even as tears threaten. Beneath the music and laughter lies a sharp commentary on how their love endures under the weight of societal prejudice.

By the final moment, as the yellow blanket reveals a tapestry of interlinked hands of every shade, All Mixed Up leaves us with the message: the world is better when we come together – a simple truth delivered with heart, humour and hope.

'All Mixed Up' was performed on 10 October at The Front Room as part of Croydonites Festival of New Theatre 2025.