Solomon Davy (The Code)

The Code sets the play in Hollywood 1950 and follows a fading star, a rising one, an agent with an agenda and a legend who's seen it all. In a world where image is everything and identity must be carefully edited to survive, can any of them break the code without losing everything?

Currently playing at the Southwark Playhouse, we took the opportunity to speak with Solomon Davy, who plays Chad Manford, to tell us more.

Q) Hello Solomon. Thanks for taking the time today to answer some questions. Before we begin, please could you tell us a little bit more about The Code?

The show explores 1950s Hollywood. The good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between.

Q) The play has such a rich cast of characters. How does your character, Chad Manford, fit into this world?

Chad is sort of the outlier of the group. Tallulah, Billy and Henry are all established in their own respect, whereas Chad is yet to be discovered; he is still a struggling actor. This creates an interesting dynamic as they see Chad as an opportunity to guide, teach, and inform, each in their own way, regardless of how right or wrong they are.

Q) What drew you into this play and the role of Chad, and what excites you most about bringing this play to life?

When I first read the script, I was drawn to both the piece as a whole and Chad as a character. I knew it was a role that would push me as an actor within a show very different to anything I’ve worked on so far. This really excited me, so when I was offered the opportunity, it was a big fat yes. Right now, I’m hungry to be stretched as an actor, and I knew this play would do exactly that.

Q) Chad is described as Henry Willson’s “all-too-perfect protégé.” Without giving away spoilers, what complexities do you think audiences will discover beneath that polished image?

It’s hard to explain without giving too much away. As some will know,  Hollywood was not and is not the pretty, perfect paradise it’s presented to be. And a lot of this comes from the mixing pot of extreme personalities it glorifies, sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes yet to be decided…

Q) What has been the most challenging part of bringing this character to life? And on the flipside, what has been the most enjoyable discovery from playing this role?

It’s always a challenge, no matter what you’re tackling, because you want to serve the show as best you can. My hope is that the humanity of the piece comes through to audiences; that’s what I feel we’re striving for. And that can be challenging at times, particularly with so many moving parts and only a short time to get it done. 

Most enjoyable discovery from the experience has to be John Partridge's homemade sausage rolls. 

Q) You’ve already built an exciting career with musicals like Hairspray and Grease. How does The Code challenge you differently as an actor as well as this being a play rather than a musical?

Getting lost in a show (in the flow state, good kinda way) is always the goal. And music has been such a huge part of my life that I feel it’s what I can get lost in the easiest. With a play, however, the driving force is the story and the story alone. The emotional through line has to be clear enough that it doesn’t require music to say ‘this is how this character is feeling now and here’s a song all about it’ that’s been an exciting new adventure for me.

Q) The Code is set in 1950s Hollywood, exploring power and identity, and the “unspoken rules” of the industry. What do you think makes this story resonate in the theatre industry and theatre audiences today?

Again, I don’t want to give anything away. But as we know, history repeats itself, on mass and in more subtle ways. The play's goal is to present some of the ways in which 2025 isn’t as far from the 1950s as it might feel. Particularly in the way people are forced to fight to simply be who they are.

Q) Hollywood’s “code” of image and secrecy is central to the story. As a performer yourself, how do you relate to those themes in today’s entertainment industry?

As performers, we wear our hearts and souls on our sleeves in front of a sea of faces every night and get paid for it. That’s pretty weird sometimes and comes with a whole set of challenges that I think every performer faces in their own way. This has and always will be the case with such an emotional pursuit. But reminding myself I’m doing what your 10-year-old me dreamed of every night and channelling that excitement brings me back to why we do what we do.

Q) This production has its London premiere at Southwark Playhouse Elephant. How does it feel to bring this story to such an intimate venue?

At the time I’m writing this, we’re about to start tech, so we haven’t gotten into the space properly yet. But I’m really excited for a feeling of intimacy with an audience that I’ve not felt before. It’s probably gonna be super weird at first, but weird is good and I’m excited for the challenge.

Q) Finally, why should audiences come along?

Ace cast. Iconic period. Gripping story. Drink, drugs and drama. Surely you don’t wanna miss that?

The Code plays at Southwark Playhouse Elephant until Saturday 11th October 2025.

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Photography by Danny Kaan and Steve Gregson