Looking across cultural representations of women in the past 100 years it is possible to draw connections between characters such as Hester Collier in Terence Rattigan’s The Deep Blue Sea, Patrick Hamilton’s Jenny from Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky, even up to Kyo Choi’s Kim Han-See in The Apology, all of whom are in pursuit of a fantasy life that will never be fulfilled. Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky, opening at the National Theatre, adds another unknowingly tragic heroine to that list, singer Angel who will grasp at an opportunity to get out of Harlem in 1930.
‘Intriguing if not entirely satisfying’: THE TWO CHARACTER PLAY – Hampstead Theatre
This rare revival of The Two Character Play at Hampstead Theatre proves an interesting addition to works that reassess Tennessee Williams’ impact as a dramatist – an intellectual exercise if not an emotive one.
‘Lovingly created’: LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT – West End
The Bristol Old Vic’s production of Long Day’s Journey into Night at Wyndham’s wrings excellent performances from its leads and brings clarity to O’Neill’s huge canvas.
‘Intriguing examination of the fear of being judged’: JOHN – National Theatre
Following the success of The Flick, which had its UK premiere in the Dorfman in 2016, Annie Baker’s latest play, intriguingly called John, makes its London debut in the same space.