Guest Blog: Writer and Performer Jack Holden on Justice, Fear and Bringing True Crime to Life in KENREX

Our obsession with True Crime is nothing new. Stories of wrongdoing and justice have captivated us for centuries, whether in ancient holy texts, courtroom dramas, or today’s hit podcasts. There’s a primal satisfaction in seeing justice served, especially when a villain threatens the peace of a law-abiding community. But what happens when the system fails, and a town is forced to confront that threat on its own terms? This is the chilling premise at the heart of KENREX…

KENREX tells the true story of Ken Rex McElroy, a man who terrorised the small town of Skidmore, Missouri, for years. Known for his violence and intimidation, McElroy held a stranglehold over the town, evading punishment for his crimes. As the community struggled to bring him to justice, McElroy’s grip only tightened, leaving the townsfolk desperate for change. But when the people of Skidmore decided that enough was enough, the fireworks truly began.

This story isn’t just a thrilling whodunnit; it dives into deeper questions of justice, power, and silence. How could one man hold an entire town captive? Why did the people of Skidmore feel so powerless? How did good people turn so bad? These moral complexities are central to KENREX, making it more than just a crime story—it’s an investigation of fear, human nature, and what it takes for a community to confront its darkest challenges.

Turning such a sprawling, populous story into a one-man show might sound impossible. How do you capture the life of an entire town with only one actor on stage? But that’s the thrilling challenge of KENREX. Throughout the performance, I portray around 20 characters—from the town mayor to a high school student, from the elderly greengrocer to Ken Rex himself.

Though it’s a solo show, the performance is far from solitary. Composer and musician John Patrick Elliott is on stage with me, creating a rich soundscape that transports the audience to 1970s Missouri. His Americana-inspired score sets the tone perfectly, while imitations of found recordings—interviews, court transcripts, and testimony—help ground the play in its True Crime origins. These elements combine to create a vivid and immersive world where sound takes on a pivotal storytelling role. At points you won’t believe your ears—and you’ll question everything you’re hearing.

As director Ed Stambollouian and I developed this piece, we realised that staging a one man show is anything but a solo effort. We push the boundaries of what can be achieved on a small stage, using intricately crafted sound, set and lighting design to create an audiovisual spectacle of this twisted tale.

Having used every single tool in our box of tricks, we then ask the audience to play a vital role by using their imagination to fill in the gaps. Just as the investigator in our story has to join the dots, our audience will have to make connections to work out the truth. Just as the residents of Skidmore came together to face down McElroy, it takes a village to bring this story to life.

KENREX isn’t just about a town under siege; it’s about how we tell stories and how those stories shape our understanding of justice, fear, and community. It’s about truth and myth. It’s about how important it is for dispassionate justice to be delivered—before hot-headed revenge can be enacted.

For me, theatre is the perfect medium to bring this tale to life, to draw the audience into the heart of Skidmore’s darkest secret—and to leave them questioning what they would do if faced with the same terrifying dilemma.

KENREX runs at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, Sheffield from Saturday 26 October – Saturday 16 November

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