Tag: Juliet Horsley

Bird Grove by Alexi Kaye Campbell, Hampstead Theatre, 14 February 2026

We saw the second preview of this wonderful new play at The Hampstead. We’d recommend booking early for this one, before it is too late. Here’s the link to The Hampstead’s page for this play/production.

Below is a charming little promotional vid, not that we were enticed by the vid. We were enticed because I am a bit of a George Eliot nut and this play is about an intensely difficult “coming of age” stage in the life of Mary Ann Evans, subsequently known as George Eliot.

It is the sort of story that could easily become mawkish and/or melodramatic, but we were in the safe hands of Alexi Kaye Campbell (playwright), Anna Ledwich (director) and a top quality cast.

The evening was hugely entertaining, with a beautifully blended mixture of comedy, tragedy and tragi-comedy. Owen Teale is no doubt the big name draw for this production, but the big name to be is surely Elizabeth Dulau – remember where you heard the name first – whose performance as the young Mary Ann Evans is simply masterful.

The supporting cast all played their parts well too, even those who were written, I’m sure deliberately, as caricatures of characters that Mary Ann Evans subsequently slipped into her great novels. Keeping most of the characters on stage much of the time, bringing them to life when needed, was a lovely directorial touch; I imagine a nod to the same “character forming in more ways than one” nature of this Mary Ann Evans story.

You don’t have to be mad on George to be mad on Bird Grove

Janie is not a George-Eliot-ista but still thoroughly enjoyed her evening – even after the nail-biting race we had to get to the theatre on time – having allowed 75 minutes for the North Circular Roadwork, which was only JUST enough time. They didn’t have such problems in the mid 19th century…

…but they did have their own issues back then.

I’m rambling. If you are reading this in time, grab yourself some tickets before it is too late. A great night of theatre. Well done, Hampstead, once again.

The Haystack by Al Blyth, Hampstead Theatre, 7 March 2020

For some unknown reason, we didn’t book this when it first came out. I think Janie was on a bit of a “let’s be more selective about what we see” spree at the time and at a glance I thought this play might be a bit geeky and not to her taste.

But I was wrong and I’m so glad we had the opportunity to put matters right before the end of The Haystack’s run.

Below is the short trailer vid:

If it looks like a bit of a thriller, that’s because it is a bit of a thriller. Also, the subject matter is, technically, very geeky indeed. Yet the topic; the use of technology for surveillance in our culture, is covered in a fascinating, human-interest story way. The geeky elements are covered well, but also in a way that ordinary folk can understand and relate to. Trust me, if Janie comes out of seeing a play saying that, it has done a very good job.

Here is a link to the Hampstead Theatre resources on this one.

Ironically, those resources, including the programme, enabled us to place the writer, Al Blyth, under surveillance. Janie and I deployed our sophisticated facial recognition systems (otherwise known as our eyes) to spot Al Blyth in the audience that night…sitting next to us. Fiendish we are.

Janie nearly blew our cover by engaging him in polite conversation, but thought better of it, not least because he seemed quite engrossed with his own guests.

Proof positive though, if such proof were needed, that I know how to choose good seats at The Hampstead.

Meanwhile, the play and this production of it were cracking good. Really, really good. This is the first piece we have seen Roxana Silbert direct for some time; if it indicates the quality she is going to bring to The Hampstead in her role as Artistic Director, her appointment is seriously good news for one of our favourite places.

The play is called The Haystack because looking for lone wolf security threat types is like looking for a needle in a haystack…or is it, if you have a plethora of machine learning and surveillance tools at your disposal? Further, if you deploy those tools and techniques, are you in danger of turning the society you are trying to preserve into the very type of society you are trying to avoid?

The acting was all very good, with special mentions to Oliver Johnstone & Rona Morison as the central pair plus Sarah Woodward as a believably creepy spook.

It has been very well received as a production – click here (or look within the Hampstead resource above) for reviews – it deserves a West End transfer and I hope it gets one.

Mayfly by Joe White, Orange Tree Theatre, 21 April 2018

We thought this was another really good Orange Tree production of a new play by a new playwright. Once again Paul Miller and his team showing a consistently good eye for talent.

On paper it sounds like yet another small-scale drama about lonely lives and handling grief. But the dialogue sparkles, the mix of tragedy and comedy is elegantly handled and the production values are quite outstanding for a tiny theatre like the Orange Tree. Very clever design with the odd coup de theatre thrown in for good measure.

Here is a link to the Orange Tree’s excellent resource for this play/production.

Below is the trailer:

All four performers were excellent, with Irfan Shamji as Harry the standout performance amongst stiff competition…not that it IS a competition.

In truth, it is a slightly slow play – a lot of build up and back story – but the dialogue is so well written and the piece so well acted and directed, the 105 minutes seemed to whizz by in a jiffy…

…much like the life of a mayfly.

No reviews at the time of writing – ahead of press night – but I’d expect this one to be well received, so (if you are reading this during the run, which ends 26 May), book early to avoid disappointment.

Here is a link to a search term that will find all the reviews once they get here.

For once we did not indulge in Spanish food after the show – my indulgences over the preceding 24 hours, which included a sashimi feast when I returned from Chelmsford…

A Day At Chelmsford With Charles “Charley The Gent Malloy” Bartlett, Essex v Lancashire Day One, 20 April 2018

…had done me in food-wise – but in any case we both felt sated by this excellent evening at the theatre.

Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar, Bush Theatre, 18 May 2013

We thought this was a very interesting and engrossing night at the theatre.

Ayad Akhtar won the Pulitzer Prize for drama with this visceral play about a Muslim corporate lawyer, Amir, in New York, whose life unravels during a dinner party.

Amir is a Westernised Muslim, who admits to feeling anti-Israel, on largely “tribal” grounds. But is Amir’s position anti-Semitic and is this issue the cause of his corporate undoing and more?

Here is a link to the Bush resource on this play.

Writing this up in March 2018, I am reminded of the play we saw last week, Checkpoint Chana – click here or below:

Checkpoint Chana by Jeff Page, Finborough Theatre, 11 March 2018

Although Disgraced (like Checkpoint Chana) rather unrealistically rushes the central character’s disintegration, it emerges from a far more subtle and interesting debate. It is also a far better piece of drama.

Excellent cast and production for Disgraced at the Bush too.

Below is the trailer vid…

…follwed by an interview with the author:

This search term – click here – finds the reviews (mostly very good) from the Bush production.