Reader Reviews
The Pride (Royal Court - Jerwood Theatre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | You can't help but admire the strength of the acting, and the script does has some nice touching moments, but ultimatley the play has nothing new to say about modern gay life. It feels dated, even though it is obvioulsy new. - Matt Woods | 03 Dec 08 |
| It would be 5 stars for the magnificent acting of all concerned particularly Bertie Carvel who is just heartbreaking. But the problem is the play which, while cleverly pointing out what has and had not changed in 50 years, has nothing new to say. - fred | 03 Dec 08 |
| This is a beautifully acted and well staged prodiction. All performances were spot on and some of the finest I've seen on stage all year. I particularly loved Lyndsey Marshall whose character Sylvia both in 1958 and 2008 seemed the strong one who was loved by everyone and gave that love freely in return. It seems wrong to single one performance out as all were outstanding and I heartily recommend this production which shows that whilst the issues may be different, that sense of sadness and unfulfilment can be just as strong in 2008 as it did 50 years earlier. - Paul Wallis | 28 Nov 08 |
| Pin sharp performances from Bernie Carvel, Oliver, JJ Field, Philip, and Lyndsey Marshall, Sylvia who managed to elicit a round of applause after one particular scene and all ably supported by Tim Steed playing three characters. However, it had more than a whiff of a gay Brief Encounter about it all for my liking. The tortuous scenes between Philip as he denied the affections of Oliver were so stilted that it slipped into parody. I even began to hear touches of Around the Horne! Quite what the writer was trying to get at I have to say was lost on me. It all seemed so terribly dated and for no obvious reason. Was it about promiscuity, or how "lucky" gay men are today, certainly in the West, or what? Having said that this is the first produced play from this writer, Alexi Kaye Campbell, and it ia highly watchable. A terrific debut. Well done! - rds | 24 Nov 08 |
