Southwark Playhouse Borough – until 15 November 2025
Reviewed by Laura Mobilia
4****
This is the story of a young woman trying to get over her shyness while going through the struggles that comes with it. The audience are her imaginary friends, and she finds love, passion, and relationships …. Only in her mind.
As soon as you walk into the theatre, the stage is beautifully designed, everything is pink, the set, the props, the costumes, that takes us inside the life of this character, Shy girl, played by Isabel Renner.
The pink colour all over the place speaks about this character, who is determined to find love, friendships, and a boyfriend especially.
In the centre of the stage there is a big table with chairs, and it’s interesting to see that the audience is invited to sit there and watch the show from inside the stage, this helps to break the fourth wall and creates a relationship between the audience and the actor.
However, even though the idea of getting the audience involved into this birthday party is clear from the beginning by sitting people in the main table at the centre of the stage, it’s not well developed and it doesn’t get to that point where the audience is really involved. It would have been better to make them participate a bit more and not just being spectators of the show.
The play is a monologue, and Isabel Renner is a great actor and comedian. She has a sense a of humour that makes the audience laugh every few minutes. She is also the writer, so she can take all the credit for making the audience laugh their hearts out during the whole play.
The set is simply perfect; it recreates the atmosphere of the show into a birthday party of a young woman who dreams and discovers her own desires.
The props are the right ones. We see a kitchen recreated which has a fridge, a sink and even a rubbish bin, but some of these are just part of the decoration and it would have been better if they were used and taken more advantage of.
The script is good and well delivered by the actor, who gives an excellent performance, but it would have been better if there were more actions involved and not only using the spoken word.
The best qualities of the show are the set design and costumes by Lucy Fowler, the lighting by Catja Hamilton, and the performance by Isabel Renner which all together works perfectly well.
This is a funny show worth seeing, which is a delight for your eyes.
With Kip Williams’ new version of Jean Genet’s The Maids currently running at the theatre, Artistic Director Tim Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch today announce the full cast for Sheader’s revival of When We Are Married by J.B. Priestley, which will open on 17 December, with previews from 6 December.
Joining the previously announced Siobhan Finneran (Maria Helliwell), Samantha Spiro (Clara Soppitt), Sophie Thompson (Annie Parker) and Marc Wootton (Albert Parker) are, Tori Allen-Martin (Lottie Grady), Ron Cook (Henry Ormonroyd), Janice Connolly (Mrs Northrop), John Hodgkinson (Joseph Helliwell), Jim Howick (Herbert Soppitt), Reuben Joseph (Gerald Forbes), Rowan Robinson (Nancy Holmes) and Leo Wringer (Reverend Clement Mercer).
WHEN WE ARE MARRIED
By J.B. Priestley
Director: Tim Sheader; Set Designer: Peter McKintosh; Costume Designer: Anna Fleischle; Lighting Designer: Ryan Day; Sound Designer: Fergus O’Hare; Composer: Will Stuart; Voice Coach: Barbara Houseman; Dialect Coach: Natalie Grady; Casting Director: Lotte Hines CDG; Resident Assistant Director: Ewa Dina; Assistant Set Designer: Raphaé Memon; Assistant Costume Designer: Roisin Gearty; Assistant Lighting Designer: Harriet White
6 December 2025 – 7 February 2026
“If you woke up tomorrow to find you weren’t married to us, you’d be in for a few big surprises.”
Three couples, highly respected pillars of the Yorkshire community, gather to celebrate their joint silver wedding anniversaries. It’s champagne toasts all round until their evening of pride and self-satisfaction is upended by an unexpected and deeply embarrassing revelation.
As scandal turns to farce, the couples are forced to confront long-buried truths, simmering resentments and the liberating possibility of starting over.
Artistic Director Tim Sheader leads a joyful revival of J.B. Priestley’s much-loved comedy, with a stellar cast including Tori Allen-Martin, Ron Cook, Janice Connolly, Siobhan Finneran, John Hodgkinson, Jim Howick, Reuben Joseph, Rowan Robinson, Samantha Spiro, Sophie Thompson, Marc Wootton and Leo Wringer.
J.B. Priestley (1894 – 1984) was a novelist, playwright, screenwriter, broadcaster and social commentator. His plays include Dangerous Corner, Time and the Conways, I Have Been Here Before, When We Are Married, Music at Night, Johnson Over Jordan, Eden End, They Came to a City, An Inspector Calls, The Linden Tree, The Glass Cage, and A Severed Head (adapted from Iris Murdoch’s novel). He was awarded the Order of Merit.
Tori Allen-Martin plays Lottie Grady. Her theatre credits include Provenance (All Points East), Midnight Cowboy, Then, Now & Next (Southwark Playhouse), Samuel Takes a Break (The Yard Theatre), I Wish You Well (Criterion Theatre/Edinburgh Underbelly), Wild About You (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Park Bench (Park Theatre), The Season (New Wolsey Theatre, Royal & Derngate), One Man Two Guvnors (New Wolsey Theatre, Nuffield Southampton), Rock of Ages (UK tour), The Hardest One (Criterion Theatre, The Other Palace), Boxed (LDN Collective), Wretch (Vault Festival), Muted (The Bunker), H.R. Haitch (Iris Theatre), Yarico (Trestle Theatre), Streets (Hackney Empire) and Hair (Picadilly Theatre, European tour). Her television credits include Maya, Death Valley, Mandrake, Mrs Sidhu Investigates, Significant Other, Plebs: The War, The Other Half, Flatshare, Here We Go, London Kills, Back to Life, Pandemonium, Unforgotten, Pure and Clean Break.
Ron Cook returns to the Donmar to play Henry Ormonroyd having previously appeared in Europe, Faith Healer, Trelawny of the “Wells”, Richard II, King Lear (also Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York), Twelfth Night (Donmar West End at the Wyndham’s Theatre), Hamlet (Donmar West End at the Wyndham’s Theatre, Broadhurst Theatre Broadway), Helpless, Juno and the Paycock and Glengarry Glen Ross. His other theatre credits include Grenfell: System Failure (Playground, The Tabernacle, Marylebone Theatre), Grenfell: Value Engineering (The Tabernacle), Party Time/Celebration (Harold Pinter Theatre), Girl from the North Country (The Old Vic), The Children (Royal Court Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club Broadway), The Homecoming (Trafalgar Studio), Henry V (Noël Coward Theatre), Art (Wyndham’s Theatre), A Northern Odyssey (Newcastle Live Theatre), The Seafarer, Howard Katz, Machine Wreckers, Black Snow (National Theatre), Singer (Tricycle Theatre), Insignificance (Chichester Festival Theatre), Sons of Light, A Jovial Crew, The Odyssey: A Winter’s Tale, The Crucible, Television Times, ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, Henry VI, The Dillen (RSC), Faith Healer (Abbey Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre), Our Country’s Good (Royal Court Theatre, Garrick Theatre), The Recruiting Officer, Cloud Nine, The Arbor (Royal Court Theatre), Three Sisters (Greenwich Theatre, Noël Coward Theatre), She Stoops to Conquer (Lyric Theatre), and How I Got That Story and Ecstasy (Hampstead Theatre). His television credits include The Hack, I Fought The Law, Andor, Grenfell: Scenes from the Inquiry, Inside No. 9, Life After Life, Des, The Salisbury Poisonings, The Witcher, Chernobyl, Death in Paradise, Les Miserables, The City and the City, Mr Selfridge, Mrs Biggs, Vera, Garrow’s Law, The Diary of Anne Frank, Waking the Dead, Burn Up, Little Dorrit, Red Riding 1980, Summerhill, Doctor Who, Foyle’s War, Funland, He Knew He Was Right: Hornblower, The Lost Prince, The Other Boleyn Girl, Dead Gorgeous, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Murder, Fields of Gold, Armadillo, Tom Jones, Bramwell, The Singing Detective, The Miser, A Day to Remember, Richard III, Henry VI Parts 1, 2, 3, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Maigret, Sharpe, The Young Ones, Blackadder and Life of William Shakespeare; and for film The Choral, Next Life, Ladies First, Sew Torn, The Critic, Empire of Light, The King’s Man, 18% Grey, Hot Fuzz, Confetti, On a Clear Day, The Merchant of Venice, Thunderbirds, 24 Hour Party People, Charlotte Gray, Lucky Break, Chocolat, 102 Dalmatians, Quills, Topsy-Turvy, Secrets and Lies and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover.
Janice Connolly plays Mrs Northrop. Her theatre credits include Glitter Ball (Riverside Studios); Prime Time; Stuff; For The Past 30 Years; Prime Time (Women and Theatre Co./Birmingham Rep); The Palace of Wasted Dreams; (Mac Birmingham); Tartuffe (Birmingham Rep); Phyllis (UK tour/Women and Theatre Co.); 15-Min Plays (Slung Low); Anita and Me (Birmingham Repertory Theatre/Stratford East); Beautiful House (Manchester Library Theatre); A Taste Of Honey (New Vic Theatre); Office Party (Underbelly/Assembly); Aladdin; Robin Hood (The Lowry); White Open Spaces (Pentabus/Soho/Stockholm) and Barbara Nice (Soho Theatre). Her television credits include Doctors (series regular); The Good Ship Murder; Coronation Street; Man Like Mobeen; Mrs Nice and Mrs Williams; In With The Richardsons; Britain’s Got Talent; So Awkward; House Of Fools; Jonny and Inel Show; Jonny and Inel Show; Grounded For Life; Lunch Monkeys; The Culture Show; Dead Man Weds; Max and Paddy’s Road to Nowhere; Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights and That Peter Kay Thing; and for film Bjorn Of The Dead; Linda; Eaten By Lions and Snappers.
Siobhan Finneran plays Maria Helliwell. Her theatre credits include Three Winters (National Theatre), On The Shore Of The Wide World (Royal Exchange Theatre, National Theatre), Port (Royal Exchange Theatre), 2nd From Last In The Sack Race, Funny Peculiar, Lucky Sods, Rutherford and Sons, Taking Steps, Teechers (Oldham Coliseum), An Evening With Gary Lineker (Derby Playhouse) and An Inspector Calls (Nottingham Playhouse).Her television credits includeProtection, Happy Valley – two BAFTA nominations for Best Supporting Actress, The Other One, Time, The Reckoning, Alma’s Not Normal, The Stranger, A Confession, The Widow, Doctor Who, Snatches: Moments from Women’s Lives, Cold Feet, The Loch, The Moorside Project, Midwinter Of The Spirit, Benidorm, The Syndicate, Downton Abbey (SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series), Benidorm, The Street, Apparitions, Blue Murder, Unforgiven, Other People, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, Wire In The Blood, Johnny and The Bomb, The Royal, Conviction, Passerby, Clocking Off, Heartbeat, Blood Strangers, Sparkhouse, Bob & Rose, Shipman, Always And Everyone, City Central, Clocking Off, Cops, Out Of The Blue, and Mr Wroe’s Virgins; and for film, The Damned, Pond Life, Apostasy, Un Ilustre Inconnu, The Selfish Giant, Boy A, and Rita, Sue and Bob Too.
John Hodgkinson returns to the Donmar to play Joseph Helliwell, having previously appeared in Absurdia and The Front Page. His other theatre credits include Titus Andronicus, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Provoked Wife, Venice Preserved, Twelfth Night, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Love’s Labour’s Won (RSC), Dear England (National Theatre, Prince Edward Theatre), Best of Enemies (Young Vic, Noël Coward Theatre), Hangmen (Royal Court Theatre, John Golden Theater, Broadway), The Country Wife, Aristo (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Ferryman – Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, The Eleventh Capital (Royal Court Theatre), Orson’s Shadow (Southwark Playhouse), Donkey’s Years (Rose Theatre Kingston), The Libertine (Glasgow Citizen’s Theatre), Unscorched (Finborough Theatre), White Rabbit Red Rabbit (Gate Theatre), A Walk On Part (Soho Theatre, Arts Theatre), Behud (Soho Theatre), Onassis (Novello Theatre), His Dark Materials, Uncle Vanya, Neville’s Island, Murmuring Judges, Racing Demon (Birmingham Rep), The Winter’s Tale (Headlong Theatre), Hapgood (Birmingham Rep, West Yorkshire Playhouse), A Journey to London (Orange Tree Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and Arcadia (Bristol Old Vic, Birmingham Rep). His television credits include Dear England, Life After Life, Catherine The Great, Rillington Place, Victoria, Witless, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, Big Bad World, The Escape Artist, Whitechapel, Silk, Criminal Justice, Fallout, Broken News, Brief Encounters, My Family, Peep Show, Lee Evans Show, Chambers, Kiss Me Kate, Roy Dance is Dead, People Like Us, Pure Wickedness, Boyz Unlimited and Small Axe; and for film, Young Washington, Napoleon, Red White and Blue, Heart of Lightness, Leave to Remain, Skyfall, Thunderpants and Firelight.
Jim Howick plays Herbert Soppitt. His theatre credits include Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright (Wyndham’s Theatre), Horrible Histories Big Prom Party from the Albert Hall (Royal Albert Hall), Plastic Cowboys – Growing Nowhere, Plastic Cowboys – Mums Gone Away (Edinburgh Festival Fringe) and Dutch Elm Conservatoire in Prison (Belfast Festival). His television credits include Here We Go, The Change, Death Valley, 3 Body Problem, Ghosts, Austin, Sex Education, Action Team, Broadchurch, Loaded, Horrible Histories, Inside No 9, Stag, The Aliens, The Wrong Mans, Yonderland, Babylon, Peep Show, Armstrong and Miller, Perrin, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, No Heroics and Rob Newman’s History of the World Backwards; and for film, Bill and Hellboy.
Reuben Joseph plays Gerald Forbes. His theatre credits include Mrs Warren’s Profession (Garrick Theatre), A View from the Bridge (Tron Theatre, Glasgow), The Outrun (Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh), Medea on the Mic (Òran Mór), Macbeth (RSC), Hamilton (Victoria Palace), Orphans; The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil; Midsummer (National Theatre of Scotland), The Tragedy of Macbeth (Almeida Theatre), Sinbad (Perth Theatre), How Not to Drown (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Anything That Gives Off Light (National Theatre of Scotland, US tour) and A Christmas Carol (Citizens Theatre).His television credits include Safe Harbor, Crime, Traces and Vigil.
Rowan Robinson plays Nancy Holmes. Her theatre credits include A Taste of Honey (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester) and Shakespeare: A Man For All Time (Boulevard Theatre). Her television credits includeThe Wayfinders, Brassic, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, Passenger and So Awkward; and for film, A Haunting in Venice.
Samantha Spiro returns to the Donmar to play Clara Soppitt – she previously appeared in Twelfth Night (Wyndham’s Theatre) and Merrily We Roll Along – Olivier Award Winner for Best Actress in a Musical. Other theatre credits include:The Merry Wives of Windsor (Royal Shakespeare Company); Lady Windermere’s Fan; Di and Viv and Rose (Vaudeville Theatre); The House They Grew Up In; Funny Girl (Chichester Festival Theatre); Guys and Dolls (Phoenix Theatre); A Christmas Carol (Noël Coward Theatre); Kafka’s Dick; God of Carnage (Theatre Royal Bath); Macbeth; The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare’s Globe); Filumena (Almeida); Company (Sheffield Crucible); Chicken Soup with Barley; The Family Plays (Royal Court Theatre); Hello Dolly – Olivier Award winner for Best Actress in a Musical; Much Ado About Nothing; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; As You Like It; Lady Be Good; Macbeth; The Boys From Syracuse (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Two Thousand Years; Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle & Dick (National Theatre); A Little Night Music (Chicago Shakespeare’s Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Sheffield Crucible Theatre); Bedroom Farce (Aldwych Theatre); As You Like It (Sheffield Crucible/Lyric); Jumpers (Birmingham Repertory Theatre); Roots (Oxford Stage Company); As You Like It (Bristol Old Vic, West Yorkshire Playhouse); Teechers; On The Piste (Hull Truck Theatre Company); How The Other Half Loves (Theatre Royal); Glyn & ‘It’ (Yvonne Arnaud/tour). Her television credits include:Waiting For The Out; Only Child; Missing You; The Road Trip; Still Up; Beyond Paradise; Vera; The Larkins; Ragdoll; Ridley Road; Sex Education; Call The Midwife; Agatha and the Truth of Murder; Semi-Detached; Grandpa’s Great Escape; Porters; Doc Martin; Doctor Who; Babs; Game of Thrones; Plebs; Tracey Ullman’s Show; London Spy; The Wrong Mans; Bad Education; Psychobitches; Panto!; Rebecca Front’s Little Cracker; Grandma’s House; Rock & Chips; Coupling; M.I.T Murder Investigation Team; and Cold Feet; and on film: One Life; Hard Truths; Hoard; Me Before You; Carnage; A Running Jump; Tomorrow La Scala!; From Hell; and Cor Blimey!
Sophie Thompson returns to the Donmar to play Annie Parker – she previously appeared inThe Physicists, Into The Woods – Olivier Award Winner for Best Actress in a Musical, and Company – Olivier Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress. Other theatre credits include:The Ballad Of Hattie & James (Kiln); The Clothes They Stood Up In (Nottingham Playhouse); Present Laughter – Olivier Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress, WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actress(The Old Vic); The Importance of Being Earnest; Female of the Species – Critics Circle Award (Vaudeville Theatre); Guys and Dolls – Olivier Award nominee for Best Supporting Actress(Chichester Festival Theatre/Savoy Theatre); She Stoops to Conquer (National Theatre); Clybourne Park – Olivier Award nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Royal Court Theatre/Wyndham’s Theatre); Measure for Measure (Globe Theatre); Wildest Dreams – Olivier Award nominee for Best Supporting Actress; All’s Well That Ends Well; As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company) Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing (Renaissance Theatre Company). Her television credits include:Sisters; Silo; Belgravia The Next Chapter; Sex Education; Detectorists; We Might Regret This; Sandylands; Coronation Street; EastEnders; Ghosts; Feel Good; Ratburger; A Gert Lush Christmas; Inside No. 9; A Room with a View; A Harlot’s Progress; That Day We Sang; The Railway Children; winner of Celebrity Masterchef 2014; and for film:Greenland 2; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1; Gosford Park; Dancing at Lughnasa; Emma; Persuasion; Relative Values; Eat Pray Love; Four Weddings and a Funeral; Nicholas Nickleby; Time Travel is Dangerous (National Film Awards Nomination For Best Supporting Actress); Morris: A Life With Bells On; Fat Slags; The Missionary.
Marc Wootton returns to the Donmar to play Albert Parker – he previously appeared in The Same Deep Water as Me. His other theatre credits includeTill The Stars Come Down, Season’s Greetings (National Theatre), Bull (Young Vic), Shirley Ghostman’s Spooktacular (Bush Hall) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (RSC). His television credits include The Completely Made-up Adventures Of Dick Turpin, Teenage Euthanasia, Question Team, Gooseberry, High And Dry, Counterfeit Cat, Wussywat The Clumsy Cat, Drunk History, Psychobitches, Way To Go, Inside No. 9, The Matt Lucas Awards, Delocated, La La Land, Neighbours From Hell, Life And Times Of Tim, Brave Young Men, Marc Wootton – Exposed, Gavin and Stacey, Thin Ice, Nighty Night, High Spirits With Shirley Ghostman, BSTV, French & Saunders, Cyderdelic, The Pilot Show, My New Best Friend, Cyderdelic: The Revolution Will Be Televised, Edinburgh Or Bust and The 11 O’Clock Show; and for film,Greatest Days, The Bad Education Movie, Nativity!, Nativity 2: Danger In The Manger!, Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?, The Harry Hill Movie, Arthur Christmas, Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel and Confetti.
Leo Wringer plays Reverend Clement Mercer. His theatre credits include Quiz (Chichester Festival Theatre, UK tour), Hamlet (Young Vic), King Hedley II (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Our Lady of Kibeho (Royal & Derngate, Theatre Royal Stratford East), The Fantastic Follies of Mrs Rich, A Comedy of Errors, King Lear (RSC), Romeo and Juliet (RSC, Noël Coward Theatre), Father Comes Home From The Wars, Search and Destroy (Royal Court Theatre), Soul (Royal & Derngate, Hackney Empire), As You Like It, Antony and Cleopatra (National Theatre), Perseverance Drive (Bush Theatre), Blackta, Twelfth Night (Young Vic), The Wheel, While You Lie (Traverse Theatre), Julius Caesar, The Taming of the Shrew, Titus Andronicus, Othello (Shakespeare at The Tobacco Factory), Medea (Abbey Theatre, Queen’s Theatre), Othello (Watermill Theatre, Newbury) and The Winter’s Tale (Complicité, international tour). His television credits include Domino Day, Anthony, Sitting In Limbo, Urban Myths – The Trial of Joan Collins, Heirs of the Night, Black Earth Rising, The Moonstone, Gangsta Granny, Silent Witness, Rebus, Rough Crossings, Judge John Deed, Canterbury Tales, Love Hurts and Escape From Kampala; and for film, A Life of One’s Own, The Changeling and The Kitchen Toto.
Tim Sheader is Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive of the Donmar Warehouse where he has directed Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 which was nominated for six Olivier Awards. He was previously Artistic Director of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre where he directed over 20 productions, including the Olivier and Evening Standard Award-winning musicals Into the Woods (also Central Park’s Delacorte Theater), Hello, Dolly!, Crazy For You (also West End), and Jesus Christ Superstar which, following two sold out seasons at Regent’s Park and a transfer to the Barbican, has been touring the US for three years, and is currently on tour in the UK and Australia. His critically acclaimed production of To Kill a Mockingbird also toured the UK ending with a sell-out run at the Barbican. Committed to taking the company’s work to as wide an audience as possible, he oversaw further UK tours of productions including Pride and Prejudice, Lord of the Flies and Running Wild. His other stage work includes The Monstrous Child (Royal Opera House), My Fair Lady (Aarhus Theatre), Barnum (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Magistrate (National Theatre), Don Pasquale (Opera National de Lorraine and upcoming in Lausanne and Nice).
PERFORMANCE TIMES Evenings Mon – Sat 7.30pm Thursday & Saturday matinees 2.30pm
TICKET PRICES £70 (£65) / £55 (£50) / £30 (£25)
Preview discounts apply to the first four performances only
Standing £15 tickets will be released at a later date
35 AND UNDER TICKETS AT £20 Aged 16-35? Sign up to our exclusive email list to book tickets for £20, located throughout the theatre including the front row. Book early to secure these prices. www.donmarwarehouse.com/35under
Maximum two tickets per person – both need to be aged 35 or under at time of the performance. Subject to availability. ID will need to be shown at Box Office to collect tickets.
DONMAR DAILY RELEASE
New tickets on sale every day at the Donmar. Allocations of tickets will be made available every day for performances 7 days later. Tickets will be available across the auditorium at every price band.
ACCESS
The Donmar Warehouse is fully wheelchair accessible. Guide dogs and hearing dogs are welcome in the auditorium. There is a Loop system and a Radio Frequency system fitted in the main auditorium and there are also hearing loops at all the front of house counters.
ASSISTED PERFORMANCES If you require a companion to attend the Donmar, their ticket will be free. To book call 020 3282 3808 or email access@donmarwarehouse.com.
For all other access enquiries or bookings call 020 3282 3808.
THE MAIDS
Until 29 November
Captioned: Monday 17 November 7.30pm
Audio described: Saturday 22 November 2.30pm
WHEN WE ARE MARRIED
6 December 2025 – 7 February 2026
Captioned: Monday 26 January 7.30pm
Audio described: Saturday 31 January 2.30pm
DONMAR WAREHOUSE
Welcome to the Donmar, where anyone with a passion or curiosity for seriously good theatre belongs. In our powerfully intimate space, we make vivid theatre that transports. Our audience doesn’t sit in the dark; they lean into the light. You’ll want to be in the room and in the moment.
Led by Artistic Director Tim Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch, the Donmar is an independent non-profit theatre in London’s Covent Garden.
We’re intent on making sure theatre thrives for the next generation by inviting in new younger audiences, inspiring original voices and building the workforce of the future.
We’re grateful for the loyalty and generosity of our many donors and supporters who share our commitment to making this happen.
TuckShop, the UK’s only specialist production company devoted to all things drag, are delighted to announce the fifth anniversary edition of their all-drag pantomimes: SNOW WHITE. Running at the Emerald Theatre in the West End from Monday 15 December 2025 for a strictly limited season until Sunday 4 January 2026.
The all-star cast includes Kyran Thrax (Drag Race UK Season 6 winner) as the Wicked Queen, Kitty Scott-Claus (Drag Race UK Season 3 & Global All Stars runner up, Gals Aloud, The Diana Mixtape) as the Fairy, Kate Butch (RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 5 contestant, Celebrity Mastermind winnerBBC, If You Wanna Go Butcher, Choose Your Own Cabaret) as the HuntsThem, Tayris Mongardi (Drag Race UK Season 7 contestant) as Snow White, Oliver Clothezoff (2025’s The Great British Bake Off – the show’s first drag king contestant) as Drag King Prince, Yshee Black (JOY, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Late Night Lycett) as the Magic Mirror, Tiana Biscuit (Hello,Tiana, Everybody’s Talking about Tiana, Sinderella) as The Housemates, TikTok Star; Sophia Stardust as Page and Ophelia Love (Gals Aloud, Peter Pan, The Real HAUSwives of London, Sleeping Beauty) as Villager no.4.
TuckShop Creative Director and Founder Chis Clegg said: “To be celebrating five years of our incredibly silly, raucous, all-drag panto is honestly so exciting… And to celebrate we have the biggest cast we’ve ever had and the longest run, playing in the West End’s newest theatre… It all seems correct! We’re very much a small independent company, so to make it to this milestone on our pantomimes is miraculous. We look forward to welcoming you to the world of Snow White, as you’ve never seen it before”
This all-star cast will have you laughing along in this outrageous retelling of the fairest in the land like never before. Snow White must journey through the enchanted kingdom, and battle the Wicked Queen with the help of her friends. Sounds quaint… It won’t be!
Rude, crude and not for prudes, this is the very adult, very hilarious, very demure pantomime from the team who brought you The Diana Mixtape, Death Drop, Cool Rider, Gals Aloud.
SNOW WHITE follows the smash-hit, critically acclaimed and profitable runs of 2019’s Cinderella, 2021’s Dick Whittington, 2023’s Sleeping Beauty and 2024’s Peter Pan.
SNOW WHITE, the outrageous all-drag panto is Written by Kate Butch and Crudi Dench, with additional material by Eleanor Mason. Directed and Created by Christopher D. Clegg. Produced by TuckShop, with Fiery Dragons as Associate Producers.
To Maury, With LoveA celebration of the works of Maury Yeston on the occasion of his 80th birthday featuring Ramin Karimloo
with further stars of Broadway and the West End to be announced
performing songs from his celebrated musicals including Titanic the Musical, Nine, Grand Hotel, Death Takes A Holiday and Phantom
accompanied by a 30-piece LMTO orchestra under the baton of Mark Aspinall
Directed by Thom Southerland Sunday February 22, 2026 at 7.30pm Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine St, London WC2B 5JF
To celebrate multi-Tony Award winning composer Maury Yeston’s 80th birthday, producer Danielle Tarento presents a concert of his most well know and loved music, directed by Thom Southerland.
Tarento and Southerland have collaborated previously on several of Yeston’s shows in the UK, including the London premieres of Titanic the Musical and Death Takes a Holiday and a critically acclaimed revival of Grand Hotel.
These musicals will be represented in the concert, along with music from Nine, Phantom (Maury’s 1991 version of The Phantom of the Opera has received over 1,000 productions globally) and many others, including never-before heard songs and an overture written especially for the occasion.
Heading the cast will be West End and Broadway star Ramin Karimloo. No stranger to Yeston’s work, Karimloo played Barrett in the recent Encores production of Titanic the Musical at NYCityCenter and Guido Contini in Nine in Concert for Hope Mill Theatre at The Lowry.
Further star casting to be announced.
The concert will feature a 30-piece LMTO orchestra, under the baton of Mark Aspinall.
Tarento said “My working relationship and friendship with Maury is one of the great joys of my life. His musicals resonate so deeply with me and have framed so much of the past 15 years of my career. To be able to celebrate his 80th birthday in such a significant way is a privilege and an honour.”
The concert is raising funds for Bowel Cancer UK with all profits going towards supporting the work of this vitally important charity.
Maury Yeston is one of Broadway’s most celebrated composer lyricists. In addition to winning a Tony Award for Best Score for Titanic the Musical (which won another four Tonys including Best Musical), Yeston won a Tony Award and two Drama Desk Awards for his music and lyrics to Nine (based on Fellini’s 1963 movie 8½). That production also won four additional Tonys including Best Musical. The Broadway revival of Nine, starring Antonio Banderas, won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival. Yeston’s contribution to the score for Grand Hotel was nominated for a Tony and two Drama Desk Awards, and the Donmar Warehouse production won an Olivier Award. His score for Phantom has received national and international acclaim. More recently, he wrote music and lyrics to Death Takes A Holiday, which was nominated for 11 Drama Desk Awards, the first entirely American full length ballet, Tom Sawyer: A Ballet In Three Acts, which premiered in Kansas City and Anything Can Happen in The Theater – The Musical World of Maury Yeston, a new musical revue conceived and directed by Gerard Alessandrini which premièred in March 2020 at Manhattan’s York Theater Company.
In 2009, Nine was adapted into a film with a screenplay by Anthony Minghella and Michael Tolkin, directed by Rob Marshall and featuring Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Dame Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Fergie, and Sophia Loren. It was nominated for five Golden Globes and four Academy Awards. Yeston was nominated for a Critics Choice and Golden Globe for Best Original Song, Cinema Italiano, and an Academy Award for Best Original Song, “Take It All”.
Other works include: Cello Concerto, premièred by Yo Yo Ma; the concert album Goya – A Life In Song, featuring Placido Domingo and Gloria Estefan; December Songs, a song cycle commissioned by Carnegie Hall for its centennial celebration; An American Cantata – 2000 Voices, a choral symphony in three movements for the National Symphony Orchestra and 2000 singers commissioned by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Theatre Channel is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Heritage Theatre, marking a major step in its mission to make historic and world-class theatre accessible to audiences everywhere.
Through this collaboration, Theatre Channel announces the release of six premium titles from Heritage Theatre’s archives. Each production stands as a testament to theatrical excellence and is available beginning today, Friday 24th October 2025, to Theatre Channel+ members. One-time rental options are also accessible to Theatre Channel subscribers worldwide.
Featured Titles Include:
The Winter’s Tale: The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 1999 Production of The Winter’s Tale. A landmark staging of Shakespeare’s tale of jealousy, redemption, and renewal, performed at the Barbican Theatre and hailed by critics for its elegance, emotional power, and artistry.
Arnold Wesker’s Denial: The world premiere production from the Bristol Old Vic, directed by Andy Hay. A taut psychological drama exploring memory, truth, and family, from one of Britain’s most acclaimed post-war playwrights.
King Lear: Historic 1974 Live Recording at Joseph Papp’s legendary New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, starring the incomparable James Earl Jones, with Raul Julia, Paul Sorvino, and Ellen Holly. A rare and powerful document of a towering performance. *
The Mystery of Charles Dickens: by Peter Ackroyd, starring Simon Callow: A tour de force one-man performance that intertwines Dickens’ extraordinary life with his unforgettable characters. First staged at London’s Comedy and Albery Theatres, this remarkable production later transferred to Broadway to universal acclaim.
Alone Together – Michael Ball Live at the Donmar:A rare, intimate concert from one of musical theatre’s greatest voices. Stripped back to piano and song, Michael Ball delivers a deeply personal performance showcasing his artistry and vulnerability.
Stars and the Moon: Betty Buckley Live at the Donmar: The Tony Award-winning legend of Broadway captured live in an electrifying concert. Buckley’s spellbinding interpretations range from Sondheim to James Taylor, in a performance Variety hailed as “a peerless melding of vulnerability and power.”*
Chris Wheeler, Managing Director and Co-founder of Theatre Channel, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Heritage Theatre to bring these extraordinary works to new audiences. These titles represent the very best of theatrical storytelling — from Shakespeare to contemporary drama — and we’re proud to preserve and share them in stunning quality for today’s digital age.”
Robert Marshal, Managing Director of Heritage Theatre, said: “We’re proud of our role in bringing live theatre to the screen and delighted to join with The Theatre Channel to bring a selection from our catalogue to a new audience.”
From Simon Callow’s magnetic Dickens, to James Earl Jones’ monumental Lear, these releases are more than archival treasures — they are living testaments to the power of performance and the enduring legacy of the stage.
Theatre Channel invites audiences everywhere to experience the magic and history of live theatre, now beautifully preserved and available to enjoy from home.
The Heritage Theatre Collection is now available on Theatre Channel
The producers of ROAM, a new musical, are delighted to announce the full cast. Directed by Rupert Hands (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Evita, London Palladium) with choreography by Olivier Award winner James Cousins (Guys and Dolls; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bridge Theatre), ROAM will have a special one-night only concert production at the Shaftesbury Theatre on Sunday 23 November 2025.
Featuring a high-voltage rock-pop-Romani fusion score, ROAM featuresmusic and lyrics by Alexander Sage Oyen with a book by Michael Dovid and is based on his original concept.
Joining the company for the concert will be Angela Caesar (Caroline, or Change) as Sabria, Jonathan Charles (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) as Chor, Fred Double (Aladdin) as Taren, Emma Farnell-Watson (Ammonia) as Mom, Alex Given (Book of Mormon) as Tshiri, Ali Goldsmith (As Long As The Stars Last) as Zelvain, Indiana Hawkes (Sing Street) as Ori, Michael Lin (Evita) as Zyava, Emma Lloyd (Sunset Blvd.) as Khelia, Shayna McPherson (Sunset Blvd.) as Tarpineand Adam Strong (Rocky Horror Picture Show) as Bichot & Staro Phuro.
They join the previously announced Tony and Olivier Award nominee Ramin Karimloo (A Face in the Crowd, Young Vic; Funny Girl, Broadway) as Yoska, Jordan Luke Gage (&Juliet; Bonnie & Clyde, West End) as Stefo, Frances Mayli McCann (The Great Gatsby; Bonnie & Clyde, West End) as Aishe, Diego Rodriguez (Evita, West End; Sunset Blvd., Broadway) as Pesha, Melanie La Barrie (Hadestown; &Juliet, West End) as Vodoma and Hope Lavelle (The Phantom of the Opera, international tour) as Nanoka with Olivier Award winner David Thaxton (Sunset Blvd., West End & Broadway; Come From Away, West End) as Philippe.
Ramin Karimloo says: “Roam brings us closer to each other by speaking to what binds us together as opposed to what sets us apart. Roam boldly examines how far we’ll go to hold on to love, culture and family in the face of existential danger”.
When a nomadic clan’s caravan breaks down in hostile territory on the way to a sacred festival, they are forced to stop and confront the ghosts of their past. At the centre stands Yoska, a father tormented by loss and regret, whose unexpected return throws his sons Stefo and Pesha into a storm of loyalty, rivalry, and long-buried grief.
As tensions ignite, romances spark, and old wounds resurface, the family must decide: will they succumb to old fear and hate or pursue a future worth fighting for?
With propulsive rhythms, fiery humour, and moments of raw vulnerability, ROAM is both an intimate and epic universal tale of survival, identity, and the courage to dream of a better tomorrow.
Writers’ note:“ROAM is a universal story that reflects our past, present, and future through the lens of a dynamic family within a resilient marginalized community,” says Dovid. “To share a journey that explores what it takes to confront hate, kindle light, and pass the torch forward feels more urgent, resonant, and essential than ever.”
ROAM was previously workshopped with Romani theatre company Giuvlipen and the National University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest and had a private industry presentation in New York City earlier this year. Additional book material is by Romana Isabella and Cultural Consultation is by Hope Lavelle.
Musical Supervision and Orchestrations are by Lloyd Kikoler; Nick Barstow will act as Musical Director; Vocal Arrangements by Cynthia Meng; Arrangements by Oyen and Kikoler.
Set & Costume Design by Soutra Gilmour; Lighting Design by Peter Small; Sound Design by Sound Quiet Time; Casting by Nick Hockaday.
ROAM is produced by Bandits Roost Entertainment, Ramin Karimloo, Mercy Productions, Wojita Productions, and AnnJen Productions.
Thomas Hopkins Craig Haffner & Sherry Wright, SAMS Entertainment are proud to announce
EastEnders’ Matthew James Morrison will join Wendi Peters in the 20th anniversary UK tour of the hit West End comedy Glorious!
Full casting and additional tour dates announced
Matthew James Morrison direct from EastEnders, after more than three years playing Felix Baker and his alter ego “Tara Misu” – the first drag queen to appear as a regular character in a British soap opera – is today announced as joining Wendi Peters in the 20th anniversary UK tour of the critically acclaimed West End hit comedy, Glorious! as Cosme McMoon.
Glorious! is the true story of American socialite Florence Foster Jenkins (Peters), dubbed ‘the worst singer in the world’, who staged and starred in classical recitals in major venues including Carnegie Hall.
Mocked, for her flamboyant performance costumes and poor off key singing, she nonetheless became a cult-figure in New York City during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s and celebrated composer and songwriter Cole Porter and classical conductor Sir Thomas Beecham were among her dearest celebrity fans.
Glorious! follows Florence’s journey as she prepares for her biggest ever sold-out recital at New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall, building an unlikely friendship with her accompanist, Cosme McMoon, and defying her army of critics to follow her dreams.
The Olivier nominated comedy is by Peter Quilter, whose Olivier and Tony-nominated West End and Broadway play End of the Rainbow became the hit movie, Judy, starring Renée Zellweger – her performance as Judy Garland winning her the Academy Award for Best Actress, as well as the Golden Globe Award, SAG Award, BAFTA Award and Critics’ Choice Movie Award.
Stage and screen star Wendi Peters is best known for her long-running role as Cilla Battersby in the hit ITV soap Coronation Street and most recently was a regular on the BBC show Doctors as Nina Bulsara. Her many other TV credits include Midsomer Murders, Hetty Feather, Hacker Time and Sadie J. Wendi has also competed on various shows including Soapstar Superstar, Celebrity Mastermind, Celebrity Masterchef and Celebrity Sewing Bee for Children in Need, which she won. Wendi was most recently seen as Mother Superior in the UK Tour of Sister Act. Her other theatre credits include: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (UK Tour), You Are Here (Southwark Playhouse), BIG The Musical (West End), The Game (Northern Broadsides) and White Christmas (West End, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, The Lowry, Salford).
The cast also features West End leading ladies, Caroline Gruber (Leopoldstadt and Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution, London County Hall, 2000 Years – National Theatre) as Florence’s long-suffering maid, Maria and society busybody Mrs Verrinder-Gedge; and Sioned Jones (Thirteen, Women Beware Women, All’s Well That Ends Well – all National Theatre) as Florence’s best friend and biggest fan, Dorothy. Sioned will also Cover the role of Florence Foster Jenkins, as she did 20 years ago alongside Dame Maureen Lipman in the original West End production.
Completing the cast are Ella-Maria Danson as ASM/Cover Maria/Dorothy and Mrs Verrinder-Gedge and Ryan Hall as ASM/Cover Cosme McMoon.
Glorious! will be screeching around the UK from February – June 2026.
The tour celebrates the show’s 20th anniversary. Glorious! wowed audiences in its original long-running West End production starring Dame Maureen Lipman in 2005, before coming to the silver screen, starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant in what critics simply called “Glorious!”. The show has since been seen by millions of people around the world, translated into 25 languages, and performed in 36 countries to date. The current production, directed by Kirk Jameson (Song From Far Away, Madagascar the Musical) premiered at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre.
The 20th anniversary tour of Glorious! is produced by Thomas Hopkins (on Broadway – Liberation ,Two Strangers Carry A Cake, West End – This Bitter Earth, Rose, UK tour – The Talented Mr Ripley) with co-producers Craig Haffner & Sherry Wright (Tony Award-winning producers, This Bitter Earth – Soho Theatre, Midnight In Garden of Good and Evil – pre-Broadway and West End and Plaza Suite – Broadway and Savoy Theatre) and Sams Entertainment (Tony Award winning producers, The Talented Mr Ripley – UK Tour, on Broadway – Merrily We Roll Along, Our Town)
Creative Team Director Kirk Jameson UK Tour Casting Director JJ Bee Musical Supervision Nick Barstow Scenographer and Costume Designer Ingrid Hu Lighting Designer Mike Robertson Sound Designer Mark Goggins Wig Designer Helen Keane Italian Translation & Dialect Coach Judith Blazer Associate Costume Designer Lorraine Parry General Management & Tour Booking: Thomas Hopkins Productions Marketing: Dressing Room Five PR: Kevin Wilson Public Relations
Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? remains one of theatre’s most searing examinations of marriage on the brink. Set over the course of a long, alcohol-soaked night, the play strips away the social veneer of two couples to reveal the raw, painful truths simmering beneath. Darkly comic and deeply human, this 1962 masterpiece is as emotionally brutal as it is sharply witty.
Much like marriage itself, this three-hour drama is both a test of endurance and a profound emotional journey. What unfolds on stage is a clash of formidable personalities, each charged with a volatile emotional energy that crackles throughout the performance.
At the heart of the chaos are George (Patrick Robinson), a weary history professor, and Martha (Cathy Tyson), his fiery wife and daughter of the university president. Their relationship is a relentless battle of intellect and emotional scars, unfolding with startling intimacy. Their verbal sparring—timed to perfection—reveals a dynamic so intense it’s often uncomfortable to witness. George’s cutting, often hilarious one-liners quickly expose the turbulence beneath their facade.
The evening takes a darker turn with the arrival of a younger couple: Nick (George Kemp), a biology professor, and his wife Honey (Tilly Steele). What begins as a tense social visit soon spirals into a gripping dissection of love, identity, and the fragile illusions we cling to in order to survive life’s cruelties.
The cast deliver nuanced performances that evolve as the night descends into chaos. Under Cara Nolan’s precise direction, every silence is charged, every confrontation lands with weight. The play’s emotional intensity could easily slip but here, every word feels earned. The characters are fully realised, resulting in portrayals that are both convincing and deeply resonant. This production doesn’t just present the chaos—it makes the audience feel it.
Amy Jane Cook’s set and costume design elevate the production, anchoring it firmly in 1960s New England with meticulous attention to period detail and the disarray of domestic life. Though the entire play unfolds in George and Martha’s living room, the staging never feels static. Albee’s dialogue, rich with subtext, gradually unveils the tangled truths of two marriages. Each line is deliberate, each revelation carefully foreshadowed.
The humour is sharp and deliberate, often provoking laughter that quickly curdles into discomfort—a reflection of the play’s emotional complexity. As the audience, we feel every verbal jab, every moment of vulnerability, and the deep discomfort of witnessing two fragile relationships laid bare. It’s tough and at times painful to watch, but always compelling.
By leaning into the discomfort with courage and clarity, this staging offers a powerful, affecting experience. Emotionally honest and uncompromising, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? remains a vital piece of theatre. This production is a reminder of why Albee’s work continues to resonate: it’s a brutal, exhausting, and ultimately rewarding evening that cuts straight to the bone—and lingers long after the final curtain.
SPECIAL EVENT HELD AT THE VAUDEVILLE THEATRE AHEAD OF WEST END STINT – PERFORMED ENTIRELY IN JAPANESE – 4 – 9 NOVEMBER
Yesterday, SIX The Musical welcomed its very own Japanese cast members to London ahead of them taking to the stage at the Vaudeville Theatre for one week only – performing the global phenomenon entirely in Japanese (with English captions) from Tuesday 4 to Sunday 9 November 2025.
After an introduction to the project from producer Kenny Wax, and Hiroko Murata, the Director of Umeda Arts Theater, the producers of the Japanese production, alongside writers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, the nine queens introduced themselves in English and Japanese, before performing a special acoustic version of Six from the theatre’s stage.
Later that afternoon, as part of their introduction to London, the Queens visited the Tudor Galleries at the National Portrait Gallery, where Caroline Marcus, the show’s Heritage, Outreach and Engagement Consultant, showed them portraits of the OG Queens, including Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour – and gave them a fun and engaging her-story lesson.
The Queens then returned to the Vaudeville to watch their London counterparts slay on stage, meeting them afterwards to share stories!
Hiroko Murata said, “To see our Japanese Queens stand on a London stage, in the heart of the West End, was an unforgettable experience. This collaboration between Umeda Arts Theater and Kenny Wax Productions has been a bridge between our two cultures, showing how theatre can transcend borders and bring people together through shared passion and creativity.”
Kenny Wax said, “It was truly special to introduce our Japanese Queens on the Vaudeville stage. This collaboration with Umeda Arts Theater has been such a joyful meeting of cultures and creative energies. Seeing the show performed in Japanese for the first time in London is a reminder that the message of SIX — empowerment, unity and fun — speaks to audiences everywhere.”
Following sold out seasons in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya earlier this year, the critically acclaimed Japanese Queens now bring their celebrated performances to London, making their West End debuts.
Original producers Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes and George Stiles, by special arrangement with Umeda Arts Theater, the producers of the Japanese production, are delighted to invite the cast to London following their acclaimed run in Japan.
To celebrate this landmark moment, audiences can also take part in two special cultural experiences. On Thursday 6 November from 5.15 – 6.45pm, Dear Asia will host a Japanese Language Workshop, inviting participants to explore the language and culture of Japan through the songs of SIX. Fans will have the chance to learn the lyrics to their favourite numbers in Japanese, while also trying their hand at traditional arts and crafts in this fun and immersive session suitable for ages 10+.
Then, on Saturday 8 November from 12 – 1.30pm, acclaimed illustrator Chie Kutsuwada will lead a Manga Workshop with a SIX-inspired twist. This beginner-friendly class introduces participants to the fundamentals of manga drawing before guiding them to create their own manga-style portraits of the Queens. All drawing materials will be provided, and the workshop is also suitable for ages 10+.
The cast will be Sonim as ‘Aragon’,Meimi Tamura and Maho Minamoto alternating the role of ‘Boleyn’, Harumi as ‘Seymour’,Eliana and Marie Sugaya alternating the role of ‘Cleves’,Airi Suzuki and Erika Toyohara alternating the role of ‘Howard’,Sora Kazuki and Ruki Saito alternating the role of ‘Parr’. They will be joined by Aoi Tanaka as Musical Director. Due to existing scheduling commitments, original Japanese cast members Emiko Suzuki and Mahya Harada will not be appearing.
Mimi Nation-Dixon’s debut play is a charming and thoughtful tragicomedy about a young female vicar.
This is a brave choice, as The Vicar of Dibley is ingrained in the psyche of most of the population, but younger audiences coming fresh to the boob obsession, country parishioners love of their animals, and confusion over marriage proposals will find this hilarious. And to be fair, Nation-Dixon puts a playful modern spin on these familiar tropes.
Margot is in her twenties and vicar of an unenthusiastic parish, supported by her frenemy, 83-year-old Susie. Margot’s inner monologues as she conducts her service are very funny as she crushes over newcomer Jonathan. As she talks, another quieter voice whispers to remind her of her faults and weaknesses. Hints and the beginnings of confessions are scattered throughout the hour, explaining Margot’s teenager-like behaviour. Eating disorders, sexual assault and guilt about her sister all swirl around between skits at the pulpit, and the weight of expectation: career, relationship, family – are all clear as Margot struggles to present a happy, reliable persona to the world in the role she seems to have hidden/escaped to. This introspection is the strongest part of Nation-Dixon’s sharp and very funny writing, but a longer show that delivers more on these intriguing events would be much more satisfying. Nation-Dixon’s performance is full of heart and fragility, but Margot’s relationship with God is never really touched upon, making the role of vicar seem just a hook for jokes rather than an integral part of the play.
Sit or Kneel has exciting potential, but needs some work to explore and clarify its themes.
