Revival of Githa Sowerby’s 1912 classic of industrial patriarchy Rutherford and Son is worthy but rather cumbersome and inaccessible.
‘Beautifully well-observed character study of a dynasty under threat’: RUTHERFORD & SON – National Theatre ★★★★
Githa Sowerby used her own upbringing as the daughter of a Tyneside glass-making family for her breakthrough play, Rutherford and Son, but whether her father was as cold, insensitive and bullying as patriarch John Rutherford is open to speculation.
’An evening of meandering chat’: SHIPWRECK – Almeida Theatre
Annie Washburn’s new play Shipwreck is intended as a reckoning with Trump. The show pitches itself as a invitation to dinner with the 45th President, but unfortunately would be better described as an evening of meandering chat with a cast of confused New York liberals.
‘Fails to offer any notable or really new insight’: SHIPWRECK – Almeida Theatre
Shipwreck has its moments and the cast are uniformly excellent, but without strong character investment it dwindles to little more than a few well-hashed arguments we’ve all heard before.
NEWS: National Theatre announces new season including cast of 40 for stage adaptation of Andrea Levy’s Small Island
Gershwyn Eustache Jnr, Leah Harvey and Aisling Loftus lead the cast of Small Island, adapted by Helen Edmundson from Andrea Levy’s prize-winning novel, directed by Rufus Norris in the Olivier Theatre, as part of the National Theatre’s new season.
NEWS: Full cast is announced for world premiere of Anne Washburn’s Trump comedy Shipwreck at the Almeida
The Almeida Theatre has announced the full cast for the world premiere of Shipwreck by Anne Washburn (The Twilight Zone, Mr Burns), directed by the venue’s artistic director Rupert Goold, running from 12 February to 30 March 2019 (press night is 19 February).
‘A superlative production’: THE WAY OF THE WORLD – Donmar Warehouse
This is a stylish, yet thoroughly accessible, production that is full of energy and a joyous satirical thrust that never obscures the real human emotions at the story’s core. Let’s hope that this production is the first of many Restoration revivals.
‘A full period-dress production, executed immaculately’: THE WAY OF THE WORLD – Donmar Warehouse ★★★★
This is a full period-dress production, executed immaculately but probably needing another few cuts to be unalloyed joy. The plot is labyrinthine, with a wordy torrent of finely honed wit and derision, fuelled by greed more than love.
‘Plenty of potential here’: THE WAY OF THE WORLD – Donmar Warehouse
The Donmar’s new version of William Congreve’s play has plenty of musings on marriage and the role of women which still feel extremely pertinent; it just needs to even out the tone to make this restoration comedy really fizz.
Haydn Gwynne replaces Linda Bassett in The Way of The World at the Donmar Warehouse
Haydn Gwynne will be playing the role of Lady Wishfort at the Donmar Warehouse in James Macdonald’s new revival of William Congreve’s Restoration comedy The Way of The World, replacing Linda Bassett who has had to withdraw from the production.
Which three plays & musicals does Mark Shenton recommend this week?
Looking for theatregoing inspiration? MyTheatreMates co-founder Mark Shenton chooses his top three plays and top three musicals to book now.
‘From poignant to painfully funny’: BEGINNING – West End
The accurate reflection of contemporary society in Beginning at the Ambassadors Theatre is certainly a case of holding a mirror up to nature and the clarity of this reflection means the play has the makings of a modern classic.
‘Everything about it feels genuine’: BEGINNING – West End ❤❤❤❤
The West End transfer of Beginning, the heartwarming and engaging new play from David Eldridge, has plenty to keep the audience engaged and entertained throughout.
‘Will lift even the gloomiest of evenings’: BEGINNING – West End
David Eldridge’s Beginning at the Ambassadors Theatre is one of the best productions on in London, right now, and such an uplifting, life-reaffirming play that will lift even the gloomiest of evenings.
‘Beautiful’: BEGINNING – West End ★★★★
I was curious to see whether the intimacy of Beginning, David Eldridge’s two-hander originally at the National Theatre’s Dorfman Theatre, would survive transplantation to even this tiniest of West End proscenium houses, the Ambassadors. It does.
FosterIAN Awards for Best Actress
How to split these three? Why would you even want to. Their effortless grace, their ferociously detailed complexity, their heart-breaking connectivity, all three will live long in my mind.
BEGINNING – National Theatre & West End
It’s about three in the morning on a Saturday night in the living room of a one-bedroom flat in Crouch End. Laura is a 38-year-old managing director, and it’s the tail end of her housewarming party.
NEWS: David Eldridge’s NT ‘anti-romance’ Beginning follows Stomp into Ambassadors
David Eldridge’s latest play BEGINNING transfers from the National Theatre to the West End’s Ambassadors Theatre for a ten-week season in the new year. It will be the first production in the Ambassadors after Stomp ends its ten-year run at the theatre on 7 January.
BEGINNING – National Theatre ★★★★
Whereas Heisenberg celebrates taking a chance on love, even in one’s dotage, Beginning seems, sotto voce, to be saying something interesting about class.
BEGINNING, National Theatre ★★★★
David Eldridge’s new play is a tense, frustrating flirt. Laura and Danny (absolute champions Justine Mitchell and Sam Troughton) don’t know each other but, over an hour and forty minutes, dig an incredibly intense relationship.
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