Tag Archives: Rebecca Lucy Taylor

2026

“Teeth ’N’ Smiles” at the Duke of York’s Theatre

Lots of people from David Hare’s generation never got over the protests of 1968. For the 50th revival of this play, the hangover the Soixante-huitards felt in the early the 1970s is clear enough but it is, understandably, diluted. There’s still enough in Teeth ’N’ Smiles to engage. The piece raises questions about the role – and price – of art that are interesting, even if they feel like old ground.

Director Daniel Raggett’s production keeps the play’s bold moves. The action revolves around a rock concert at a Cambridge May ball (cue lots of predictable remarks about class). But the observations on the band’s members – who are toxic to a man – are sharp. The performances, from an ensemble who all exaggerate a little too much, do nothing to redeem this collection of man children. The humour grates and the substance abuse bores. I’m sure it’s deliberate… but it isn’t nice. There’s a similarly sinister, you could argue clichéd, manager who delivers a more successful villain. It’s a perfect role for Phil Daniels, who makes the part look very easy, which is a skill.

The band and their singer Maggie have a cult following, so we’re never really sure if they are actually any good. That creates a smart tension and it is with the role of tragic troubadour that the show takes off. Maggie is a fantastic creation, troubled to mythic proportions and furiously smart; one of those selfish and flawed characters you still admire. Taking the role, Rebecca Lucy Taylor (aka Self Esteem) shows strong acting skills and fantastic singing.

It is Taylor’s performance that makes the musical interludes work. The songs are mostly period pieces, written by Nick and Tony Bicât with additions from Taylor, and not to all tastes. But they fit well and the formidable energy behind them provides a commentary on Maggie’s wish to keep moving.

Arguably, Teeth ’N’ Smiles’ boldest move is to carry this investigation into progress to its love story. Maggie’s song-writing ex-boyfriend, a role we might align with that of the playwright, becomes a mere foil. It’s a shame for Michael Fox, who does well as the male lead, but a smart move for the play. Our heroine was always more interesting and talented than the men around here and, while the play might seem to end in the tragedy of an arrest, there’s a sense of triumph that Maggie is finally breaking free.

Until 6 June 2026

www.teethnsmilesplay.com

Photo by Helen Murray

2022

‘Prima Facie” from NTLive

A sell out in the West End and due to travel to Broadway, Suzie Miller’s play is also a hit in cinemas thanks to this live recording. The neatly written monologue is motivated by a powerful sense of injustice surrounding sexual offences. The statistics shock – check out the website. The play’s important message benefits from an excellent production.

When criminal barrister Tessa becomes a victim, in a case like many she has defended, the stage is set to put the system on trial. The intelligence of the script is clear. Let’s submit as evidence the protagonist’s own position of privilege, which is used to great dramatic effect. She knows the difficulties to come, and the piece highlights an important point – if Tessa can’t get justice, what chance does anyone else have?

Miller’s writing about the law is dynamic. At first, Tessa’s excitement about her job being a kind of game is palpable, and it makes the transformation to frustration more powerful. The thrill of being a barrister might be overstated, but it works for the stage.

A slight nag cannot help but be reflected in the excellent performance from Jodie Comer. There’s a breathlessness to the first scenes that’s uncomfortable. And Tessa’s humble origin story might be more convincing. Nonetheless, Comer creates an appealing character and has a comic touch an audience can warm to.

The energy in this long monologue is consistently high – more credit for Comer. Powerful imagery guarantees applause for director Justin Martin and designers Miriam Beuther and Natasha Chivers. A bold approach is less successful when it comes to the overpowering soundtrack (composed by Self Esteem’s Rebecca Lucy Taylor and designed by Ben and Max Ringham). 

Seeing theatre in the cinema is never quite the real deal and Prima Facie is a good case in point. Comer is playing for a house, so views of her face at traumatic moments don’t seem quite fair – no seat could get that close. It’s a brave performance throughout and really cannot be praised enough.

Best of all, the show is wonderfully theatrical. Direct addresses to the audience about those statistics become so urgent you wonder if Comer herself is speaking to us. As the lights rise, do we move from drama to debate? Could the show have ended already? There is a conclusion to the story, but it is the lesson that Miller wants to teach that gives the play its power.

www.primafacieplay.com