Terminator Comes To The Stage: One Woman Show Parodies The Movies – But With A Twist…

I’ll Be Back is an exciting and innovative new one hour solo show parodying the Terminator films. The show previews in Oxford and Birmingham, before beginning its tour of the UK in Spring 2026.

I’ll Be Back is a parody of The Terminator & Terminator 2, and tells the story of a Terminator built with Windows 95 who must time-travel back to Dudley on a quest to prevent the destruction of humanity, and to discover the truth about her life. The show is an action-packed 60 minutes of apocalyptic devastation, robotic transformation, emotional reunion, and how a plan formed in Blockbusters can save the world. It is a journey through the space-time continuum and a mission to stop a nuclear holocaust, guided by the wisdom of Microsoft’s beloved/detested virtual assistant Clippy. All characters are played by Justine Malone, who creates scenes through physical storytelling and multimedia. The show balances action with emotion and shifts seamlessly between comedy and pathos.

Justine Malone says: “I created this show because of my love of the Terminator films, and also because it was the most ambitious theatrical solo show I could imagine making. There don’t appear to be any existing stage adaptations or live theatre parodies of Terminator, so this is a great opportunity to bring these stories to the stage for potentially the very first time. The films are windows into the pop culture of the 80s and 90s, and touch on themes of love, AI, time travel, fast-paced action sequences, incredible soundtracks, all whilst playing on the universal fear that the machines will one day turn on us. The show reflects all of these important elements. The first two Terminator films have a number of iconic moments and lines which are very well-known, and in I’ll Be Back, these are recreated with the comic edge of being set in the West Midlands. The AI element feels particularly pertinent in the current climate, given how quickly this technology is moving.

“I pride myself on making funny, emotional, complex one hour theatre shows with heart. My ambition is after this short UK tour to continue to develop the show so that it can play mid-scale theatres and tour internationally. And, one day, to come on stage and see Arnold Schwarzenegger in the audience, with his single red eye gazing up at me. Then I’ll know I’ve made it.”

“I’ve known Justine for three years now, and love her writing. Her background as a performer means she has a precision with tone and comedy, but also a real sense of emotional truth. She also has an excellent sense of how to make work which is both popular and of wide-appeal but also profound and meaningful.” – Mike Bartlett (Doctor Foster, Chariots of Fire, Unicorn)

“Such a clever, funny, engaging and emotionally involving comic play. I love the use of Terminator, Windows 95 and other 90s references, as well as the smart use of sound effects, soundtrack and projections – it all makes up a really rich tapestry of ideas and influences.” – Tom Crowley, BBC Comedy Writer

“It’s exciting to see a project with a Black Country focus, especially as so little work is made about the region itself. There’s a clear need for greater representation of its voices and stories, particularly given the historically low levels of access to the arts in the area.” – Neil Reading, CEO, Wolverhampton Arena Theatre

“Oxford Playhouse are delighted to be partnering on I’ll Be Back – a piece that deserves to be seen by the widest audience possible. Entertaining, highly skilful, innovative and moving – it’s the kind of generous piece of theatre that will charm theatre and comedy lovers alike, but also people who don’t normally think that theatre is for them.” – Mike Tweddle, Artistic Director and CEO, Oxford Playhouse
Venue: Old Fire Station, Oxford
Tickets: £13-17
Previews: 6-7 Sep 2025
Time: 6th: 7.30pm | 7th: 5.00pm
Box Office: 01865263990
Website: https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/ill-be-back-2/