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“Juno and the Paycock” at the Gielgud Theatre

Seán O’Casey’s 1924 tragicomedy is a tricky masterpiece to make work. The setting is Dublin during the Irish Civil War and the Boyle family, whose lives we follow, are all struggling. Yet the father, Jack, is a grand comic creation, a drunken shirker who comes into money with predictable results. The crazed fun behind the character is exaggerated in Matthew Warchus’ revival, making the production memorable but unbalanced.

Since the lead role is taken by Mark Rylance I’d be surprised if there are any complaints. The performance is commanding and distinctive, led by clear Chaplinesque touches (even the production photos are black and white). Rylance is hugely entertaining. There’s back-up from his chum Joxer, gloriously played by Paul Hilton, including a fantastic moment of slapstick. And it isn’t just a matter of going for laughs – there’s a mix of melancholic vulnerability and manic energy that verges on being uncomfortable. 

Rylance has terrific chemistry with the family members. His long-suffering wife Juno fights to hold her own, while his children seek to escape through romance or politics. All three performances – from J Smith-Cameron, Aisling Kearns and Eimhin Fitzgerald Doherty – are accomplished. Each is intense, brimming with nervous angst. And each is a stark contrast to Jack. 

You can guess the problem – other roles become simply foils. Warchus and Rylance allow the peacock to take over the play. As the action gets darker – with a fortune and a fiancé lost and the danger of sectarian violence – it becomes a big issue. Any connection with the family fun we’ve seen is unclear to the point of being confusing. Few of the play’s issues are successfully addressed and the ending becomes just a baffling shock. Even if Rylance makes sure we get our money’s worth, the play, and most of the performers, are shortchanged.

Until 23 November 2024

www.junoandthepaycock.com

Photograph by Manuel Harlan

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“Gay Pride and No Prejudice” at the Union Theatre

It’s clear enough what you are going to get with David Kerby-Kendall’s riff on Jane Austen’s classic novel. Examining the literary canon is a perennial pursuit, and applying a queer perspective has been popular for a while. But while Darcy and Bingley running off together doesn’t seem as radical as it might once have done (which is good news, of course), there’s still the question of whether this effort is any good?

Kerby-Kendall has a neat move – which is to focus on Elizabeth Bennet. It turns out she’s more radical than Austen could probably have imagined, and Darcy agrees with her revolutionary ideas. They are each other’s allies. The strategy maintains the couple as our heroes and gives Sophie Bloor and Michael Gillette, who take the roles, plenty to do. And it’s a relief that Austen’s heroine is, somehow, preserved.

A touch ironically, Darcy and Elizabeth still make a good couple. And their chemistry is matched by that of Noah Butt and Sophie Bradley, who play a diminished Bingley and Jane Bennet – it seems their characters are genuinely in love, which sets up a poignancy that could have been exploited more. When closer to the original source material, the action is fine, plot points are picked out well and the piece has potential. But problems arrive.  

After the interval, the piece loses its way to the extent of becoming confusing. There’s the suggestion that Darcy and Bingley are going to marry the women and only go for “walks” together. But they can’t keep their hands off one another and are discovered! Don’t worry. After the briefest mention of eternal damnation, it turns out that the Bennets are all darling liberals who decide to forgive and stay friends. It’s all society’s fault, after all, so Jane bakes a cake with two grooms on it. 

The trouble is twofold. Firstly, the (small) anxiety the characters experience manifests as preachy and laboured (Gillette is the only one who manages to make speeches about equality sound anywhere near natural). While no prejudice is admirable, it also means no drama. And then there’s a problem with the wit. I’ll go for the one about opening a hostelry for men and calling it Persuasion. But the humour is chaotic, and too many jokes fail to take the period nature of the piece into account. That Mr and Mrs Bennet just aren’t funny is confirmation something is wrong: we move from laughing at their silly old-fashioned ways to enduring random bons mots and knowing gags that characters themselves wouldn’t understand. 

Of course, Kerby-Kendall isn’t trying to be historically accurate. Pride comes first and he wants to avoid a fall in the mood. The project is closer to a fairy tale – which is fine – but such retellings should be joyous rather than didactic and clunky. Luke Fredericks’ direction is slow and the fussy set doesn’t help. There are some good ideas here but, regrettably, they are poorly executed.

Until 2 November 2024

www.uniontheatre.biz

Photo by Lucy Nixon

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“King Troll (the Fawn)” at the New Diorama Theatre

Sonali Bhattacharyya adds an ingenious element to her story about immigration. After sisters Nikita and Riya, in danger of deportation, visit an odd family friend, Riya gains the power to create a supernatural creature to help her. Director Milli Bhatia emphasises every spooky and funny moment of this original idea; the Hiran, translated as fawn in English, is the making of the play.

Zainab Hasan and Safiyya Ingar, who play the sisters, are superb at grounding the action, especially given more than a few jump scares. The siblings’ relationship is convincing at the start and both performers are strong comedians. That said, Ayesha Dharker gets even more laughs and has a great night playing two wonderful villains. First Dharker is the witchy Shashi and then a smart landlady who has put up the rent: the question arises as to who scares us more.

There’s fun with the spooky creature too, along with the pointed fact that he is white and serves as a “sponsor” for Riya’s immigration claim. She calls him Jonathan (which really tickled me) and says they need him to be “slick but bland”. But Jonathan is scary too; Dominic Holmes makes the part appropriately creepy, aided by verses spoken off stage. And Ingar makes sure we fear for her character – having a pet psychopath at your beck and call isn’t fun. 

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Diyar Bozkurt and Zainab Hasan

Bhattacharyya wants to make other important points. Nikita works with migrants and their trials – including interviews and working conditions – are articulated through the character of Tahir, given a heartfelt depiction by Diyar Bozkurt. If Tahir seems to belong to a different play, Bhatia makes a virtue of that by emphasising the contrasting scenes. Maybe, with so much going on, adding romance for both sisters might not be needed.

There’s some clunky dialogue (that the location of the play isn’t specified doesn’t help) as well as moralising moments. And too many puzzling questions. It isn’t clear why Jonathan turns out to be right wing (surely his papers aren’t in order either?). Or why Riya becomes so vindictive: if power has corrupted her, that needs prepping. The play starts to buckle under its own ambition with an unnecessary twist set in the future. But King Troll (The Fawn) is entertaining, memorable, and easy to rate as a four-star show.

Until 2 November 2024

www.newdiorama.com

Photos by Helen Murray

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“The Cabinet Minister” at the Menier Chocolate Factory

Arthur Wing Pinero’s class comedy has been updated by Nancy Carroll for this fine revival. The Victorian piece, about a politician and his wife up to their elegant ears in debt, zips along with plenty of laughs. And Carroll appreciates that even in a comedy, some moments should be played straight. Her adaption is as smart as it is funny.

Carroll also takes the stage, and is superb, as Lady Twombley, whose profligacy threatens her husband’s already perilous political career and the prospects of her children. Things are so bad there’s the “threat of sprouts” as the family might retire to the country and grow their own food; Carroll makes us see her character takes the fate seriously – which makes it all the funnier.

In the titular role, Nicholas Rowe anchors the action. And the chaos increases when his wife becomes indebted to parvenu money lenders Fanny and Bernard Lacklustre. Here are two fun villains, played Phoebe Fildes and Laurence Ubong Williams. The Lacklustre’s ambitions and action aren’t so different – just not as hypocritical. You might end up quite liking them! Pinero treated all his characters harshly and this talented cast never forget that point.

As the Twombley capital diminishes, the clock is ticking to make a good marriage for kids. In practice this is all masterminded by the excellent Sara Crowe who plays an aunt with a “motive”. Enter the Scottish Macphail clan – well, mother and eligible son (played with suitably extravagant accents by Matthew Woodyatt and Dillie Keane) – on the lookout for a bride.  Because The Cabinet Minister is a romance too! Carroll and Rowe’s considerable chemistry helps immeasurably. But it is Rosaline Ford and George Blagden who play the couple to root for. Blagden, as “poor, unhinged, and a little pungent” Valentine, a character who has travelled the world to escape his privilege, is a surprisingly recognizable figure.

While it is fun to see how little politics (and people) have changed since the play was written, the point can be overplayed (a coda shows a modern moment that doesn’t pay off). Along with the cast playing instruments, which is impressive but adds little, the production is a little fussy at times. But director Paul Foster does an excellent job overall. As the plentiful innuendo, puns and glorious putdowns indicate, it is the language that provides the jokes: impeccably delivered and making the show great fun.

Until 16 November 2024

www.menierchocolatefactory.com

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“One Small Step” at the Charing Cross Theatre

Writer and director Takuya Kato’s think piece questions equality and equity between the sexes with rigour and style. An unexpected pregnancy causes problems for husband and wife, Takashi and Narumi, complicated by their careers as astronauts about to colonise the Moon, and raises plenty of questions for the audience to enjoy.

The sci-fi element is woven into the story very well: Takuya brings out debates about how we live now, how we might live in the future, and gives the characters plenty of motivation. The idea of moving to the Moon is underplayed – interestingly there’s as much focus on the company behind the scheme as the science. 

Unfortunately, the characters fail to convince, being too clearly mouthpieces for issues. The control in the show is remarkable. Mark Takeshi Ota barely raises his voice as his “calculating” Takashi keeps his temper throughout. Narumi is more intriguing. She’s allowed to break down and show some steel, even humour, so that Susan Momoki Hingley, who takes the role, has more to show. The commitment from both performers is admirable, and clearly required by Takuya, but such restraint does make the show slow.

The production looks great, with a minimalist design by Milla Clarke that has an impressive revolving stage and live filming to keep us engaged and help us to appreciate how detailed the performances from both actors are. Nothing distracts from the debate, though – should Narumi sacrifice her career? Or even try to have her child on the Moon? And what should her husband do?

One Small Step, part of a mini season to be followed by Tattooer, is a rare chance to see theatre from Japan in London. While Studio Ghibli and manga-inspired musicals have had success recently, this is serious stuff that’s strictly for a grown-up crowd. I’m not sure that differences between Japanese and British culture stand out (a point that might be made clearer earlier is the countries’ abortion laws) but the play’s themes are easily familiar enough to make for an interesting debate after the show.

Until 9 October 2024

www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk

Photo by Mark Senior

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“Coriolanus” at the National Theatre 

Clear, sensible ideas drive Lindsey Turner’s new production. Giving Shakespeare’s Roman history play an epic feel is natural enough and is achieved with style through impressive music (Angus MacRae) and design. Part of the latter, by Es Devlin, is a stage full of Hellenistic art, displayed as if in a museum, and through these objects the production comments on the dangers of glorifying militarism.

When it comes to the titular hero, Turner is carefully noncommittal and her leading man, David Oyelowo, keeps us guessing. We’re supposed to admire Coriolanus, yes? Plenty do, even though he is, literally, revolting. As the play moves between the military and civic spheres, Oyelowo gets as much complexity out of the role as is possible. It is a commanding performance.

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Pamela Nomvete

The military scenes are strongest – the fighting exciting – showing this martial culture superbly. Cominius, the general who delivers many a panegyric about his mate, becomes a major role through Sam Hazeldine’s skill. And let’s include the mum here! Pamela Nomvete, one of my favourite actors, is excellent as Volumnia. Her exaggerations about honour and glory raise a laugh nowadays, but Nomvete’s brilliant performance makes them sincere, taking us into the world of the play.

Showing us politics is less successful, although the action is swift and easy to follow. Maybe one problem is that the “many headed multitude” seems short on the ground (odd, since that isn’t the impression with battle scenes). The costumes are a bit of a puzzle, giving the plebeian Brutus and Sicinius (well performed by Jordan Metcalfe and Stephanie Street) an odd 1970s TUC air. Their political opponent also comes off badly, Peter Forbes’ Menenius is a comic-book toff whose wit tires rather than entertains. To be fair, it’s hard to get much subtlety here. The play takes its lead from Coriolanus’ own view that people are either “crows” or “eagles”. At least Turner doesn’t show favourites.

The political scenes are supposed to be uncomfortable – how the mob is manipulated is a warning. But the production is lucky it has Oyelowo to fall back on. He does a great job of balancing his character’s contempt with a dignity that comes from following his principles. We are allowed to wonder if Coriolanus is trapped in his sense of himself. Has being named after the city he conquered gone to his head? Is he one of those men said to be a victim of toxicity? That’s a tough sell, if an interesting one. But in the end, Coriolanus himself is presented as one of those statues – the kind of fallen warrior who was never a Roman and who was, ironically, usually nameless.

Until 9 November 2024

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by Misan Harriman

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“A Face in the Crowd” at the Young Vic

This new musical boasts lots of talent – that delivers – but, regrettably, fails to excite. The excellent Kwame Kwei-Armah directs an incredible cast with a book by Sarah Ruhl and music and lyrics by superstar Elvis Costello. Naturally, expectations are high, and everyone does a great job, but the show is effortful rather than inspired.

Having a film in the background might not help, although Ruhl has adapted Budd Schulberg’s book as well as the screenplay that Elia Kazan used. But that was back in 1957, and the story has dated badly. The larger-than-life character of ‘Lonesome Rhodes’, one time down-and-out, then a TV star who tries to get into politics, sounds as if it has potential, but falls flat. Truth has proved stranger than fiction and a plot that should be fantastical feels old hat.

The action is admirably swift. Although Lonesome’s rise and fall is quick, Rhul and Kwei-Armah examine his psychology thoroughly. There’s a sense of outrage as we move from folksy philosophy to sinister popularism. And the character is intriguing, if predictably hypocritical: viewed by his fans as a mix of Jesus Christ and Santa Claus, he’s big on the state of Arkansas and the state of matrimony. But if the jokes don’t make you laugh out loud, I’d suggest the same problem – none of it is as crazy as real life.

Anoushka Lucas and Olly Dobson in 'A Face In The Crowd'
Anoushka Lucas and Olly Dobson

Lonesome is at least a great role for Ramin Karimloo, who sounds fantastic. There’s superb support for him, too. Firstly, from Anoushka Lucas, a radio producer called Marcia who discovers Lonesome and might, almost, steal the show. Marcia gets the best numbers, which Lucas performs beautifully. Her attraction to her protégé might be given more time but a second love interest for her character (played by Olly Dobson) does well – neither character is simply a foil.

The cast could be bigger and the choreography (Lizzi Gee) more ambitious. But Elvis Costello’s music – pure Americana – will please many. Some of the songs are superb, especially the title number, and the mix of country and jazz is intelligent. It’s a shame the ensemble doesn’t sing together more. And that the advertising jingles are such predictable interludes. If the score doesn’t work quite like a musical, it sounds different and I’m sure a soundtrack would sell.

Still, the show is hard to recommend. Even if Lonesome as a kind of early influencer interests you, the piece doesn’t situate itself well in history. It’s never quite clear what year we are in (and the costume design doesn’t help). But the biggest problem is that the satire is just too tame. And although Karimloo has charisma, his character’s popularity doesn’t convince. It is too easy to explain the confluence of politics and entertainment with ignorance. There is a danger the show becomes as contemptuous of the public as Lonesome is… and that suggestion loses my vote.

Until 9 November 2024

www.youngvic.org

Photos by Ellie Kurttz

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“The Truth About Harry Beck” at London Transport Museum

Writer and director Andy Burden is open about the lack of dramatic potential in his subject. The man who drew the London Underground map – or rather, diagram – had a “simple” life and didn’t do much. Harry and his wife, Nora, tell us this from the start and, with such charm and modesty, they are immediately appealing. Burden and his two excellent performers make sure our affection for the couple only grows.

The Becks also reveal that not much is known about their quiet life, so some artistic licence is taken (in itself showing how unsung and unrewarded Harry was). While the play has three moments of “rejection” to give it structure, this is a bit of a red herring. What’s really going on is a romance. The Truth About Harry Beck is the story of a marriage as much as a map (sorry, diagram). 

A lot of the show’s success is down to the adorable Becks. Burden knows his audience are likely to be keen on transport and design, so Harry’s obsession has a head start. Even so, Nora is a little too long-suffering to be believed. There’s a reliance on nostalgia, with everyone being very polite and restrained. And the couple’s shared love of inventions is too repetitious a method of showing the passage of time. But their marriage is so sweet that it’s a pleasure to watch, and the enthusiasm for Beck’s work is contagious.

There are jokes in the play, even if they aren’t really that good (some of the puns are terrible). But the humour is so gentle that it has its own appeal. And the whole piece is held together by accomplished performances from Ashley Christmas and Simon Snashall. Both are natural comics – Snashall makes Beck quirkily endearing with an ability to show snatches of tension that might derail (sorry) the general tone. Christmas has several accents down to perfection and has great fun taking on other roles.

Beck’s work was such a success that an audience has to be reminded how revolutionary it was, and this is a big ask. The Natural Theatre Company, which presents the show, specialises in working with educational projects and its skill shows – a scene using ribbons to explain Beck’s ideas is excellent. A lot of information is absorbed very painlessly. Best of all, though, there’s real heart here, which makes the play a surprise and a delight.

Until 10 November 2024

Click here for tickets

Photo by Mark Douet

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“I Wish You Well” at the Criterion Theatre 

As an exercise in showing you really can make a musical about anything, Rick Pearson and Roger Dipper’s show excels. Taking Gwyneth Paltrow’s ski trial as a topic is one of those crazy notions that turns out to have plenty of potential (another company, Awkward Productions have their show, Gwyneth Goes Skiing, on tour until the end of the year). Pearson and Dipper’s ideas are good, their cast great, and if all the efforts end up a little thin, the show is still fun.

Of course, it’s really a show about celebrity, as Gwenny P’s presence at a small Utah Court creates a circus that Dipper’s book can exaggerate as much as he likes. The action might have been made clearer for those who didn’t follow the trial, but what goes on is swift enough – the show is only an hour – and Shiv Rabheru‘s direction effective.

The cast embrace the spirit of the show with plenty of mannered gestures and a good effort to engage the audience (predictably, we are the jury). Diana Vickers takes the role of Paltrow and is joined by Marc Antolin as her opponent in court. Tori Allen-Martin is the single lawyer (and fangirl) while Idriss Kargbo is judge and… drag queen (why not). The signing is strong and the choreography by Arlene Phillips a giggle, we even get the splits and a cartwheel.

Despite the effort from the cast, there isn’t quite enough to excite. The jokes aren’t bad, but you can see most of them coming a mile off. And there’s a lot of repetition, in particular about security on the internet and Paltrow’s lifestyle website (renamed Poop). Pearson’s music is competent but unexciting; take the riff on another courtroom musical Chicago, a good idea but one that goes on too long.

While the makeshift set and costumes have appeal, the production feels a little lost in the West End. It’s easier to imagine it as part of a big night out, with a drink or two before and after. The show is easy on celebrity, and our obsession with it, so there isn’t much satire. Being even-handed toward Paltrow and her opponent (who of course also wants fame) might be admirable but it doesn’t leave the show with far to go. Although I Wish You Well is enjoyable, there just isn’t much to it.

Until 12 October 2024

www.criterion-theatre.co.uk

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“The Real Ones” at the Bush Theatre 

Waleed Akhtar’s carefully written and wonderfully performed play is about friendship, and its achievements come from its detail. As with this week’s new musical, Why Am I So Single?, the focus is on platonic love and the play is a coming-of-age piece… of sorts. The relationship between Zaid and Neelam, aspiring playwrights who are both Londoners with Pakistani backgrounds, is recounted in depth through teenage partying, career perils and romantic problems. If some moments feel overwrought, the play remains interesting, funny and heartfelt.

As a drug-fuelled nightclub outing for Zaid and Neelam punctuates the play (maybe a little too often) the characters age from 19 to 36. The specifics of their background, including class and location, and the pressure this puts on both their sexualities are impressively elaborated. With such rich material, Nathaniel Curtis and Mariam Haque do a superb job in the title roles. They are supported by boyfriends for both, further strong parts for Nnabiko Ejimofor and Anthony Howell.

Akhtar’s talent is clear. He writes about having young children just as well as being in an ‘open’ gay relationship. But the impression his characters leave is a little murkier. For my money, Neelam overpowers the show – her no-nonsense talking is admirable and Haque brings fantastic charisma to the role. Her story is more interesting and why she abandons her original ambition to be a writer might have been explored more. The treatment of Zaid seems harsher, his character at best immature and increasingly needy. Thankfully Curtis’ excellent comedy skills lighten matters. Director Anthony Simpson Pike’s work is strong throughout, and he is clever to allow the humour in the piece to shine.

There’s a lot of angst from Zaid, and a concomitant risk of compassion fatigue. I’ll admit it’s a pet hate of mine – writers complaining about writing don’t get a lot of sympathy from me. But even taking that into account, he’s an arrogant soul, too self-obsessed at times to be believable. Being truthful about what you write is the central point, with both young writers asked to raise “the stakes” to get their plays put on. Neelam doesn’t, but Zaid does… While Akhtar stays true to his vision, you might consider The Real Ones a small story. But therein lies its strength.

Until 19 October 2024

www.bushtheatre.co.uk

Photo by Helen Muray