Reader Reviews
Season's Greetings (Lyttelton (National Theatre), West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Thoroughly enjoyed this: I don't often laugh out loud in the theatre (often sit smiling happily, surrounded by others enjoying in a more vocal way) but I hooted and chortled with the best, and nearly applauded some of the best and more physical moments. And a wonderful set. Highly recommended. - L.Dodd | 10 Feb 11 |
| Although she does not neglect the darker side of Alan Ayckbourn's writing Marianne Elliott (my choice for the next Donmar AD) directs a production which resulted in more helpless laughter than anything since The Norman Conquests - also by Ayckbourn of course. Set across the three days of Christmas with couples who can barely stand each other, Season's Greetings produced many situations, particularly under the Christmas tree, that generated so much laughter rolling around the Lyttelton that some of the succeeding dialogue was lost. There were also a couple of moments of heartbreaking sadness, especially the rejection of poor, frigid Rachel. A very familiar cast perfectly capture the frustrations of suburbia. i have never been a fan of Catherine Tate and although there is no doubting her comedic instincts she seemed to be in a different play to the rest of the cast - much more Mike Leigh than Ayckbourn. Best of an excellent ensemble was Nicola Walker, fast becoming one of my favourite actors, who found deep wells of empathy and subtlety as the unfortunate Rachel. Season's greetings made for a much-needed and very welcome diversion from an otherwise pretty awful week so far. - David Baxter | 09 Feb 11 |
| A good production which builds and bubbles away before exploding before the interval with a wonderfully farcical scene featuring Oliver Chris and Catherine Tate. I really liked the staging - the set was another fine piece of design. - Paul Wallis | 13 Jan 11 |
| What a disappointment! I was really looking forward to this festive Ayckbourn but instead had to endure this clunky production instead - surprisingly, Ms Tate did better than I'd imagined but after a while it became her show (perhaps that was the intention?). What's wrong with it then? Well, direction for starters and casting. Without actors with a gift for comedy it cannot work. Try imagining "Yes, Minister" without Nigel Hawthorne, Paul Eddington and Derek Fowlds, quite! It shocks me that the NT can get it so wrong. Better luck next time? - rds | 29 Dec 10 |
| I have to say, I absolutely LOVE the fact that Nicola Walker is interviewed in some detail on this website and it's linked to at the bottom of the review, and yet Coveney has spelt her name wrong and the picture of her at the top is captioned as being Catherine Tate. Pure Whatsonstage. - Dave F | 23 Dec 10 |
| Really strong production with plenty of laughs. Nicola Walker is heart-breaking as the spinster sister and Mark Gatiss steals the show with his puppet show. The rest of the cast are strong, although Oliver Chris is miscast: far too handsome and self-assured to be manipulated into the situations he finds himself in. I guess it boils down to whether you enjoy Ayckbourn or not, but I loved it. - Quentin | 12 Dec 10 |
| Ayckbourn's Bedroom Farce; Sisterly Feelings; Way Upstream; A Chorus Of Disapproval; A Small Family Business; Invisible Friends; Mr A's Amazing Maze Plays; House & Garden have been produced at the National in the past, to great acclaim and 'at the heart of the repertoire'. So why is the production of another play by him a 'big moment in the National Theatre's history' ? - fred | 10 Dec 10 |
| I had high expectations on this production but unfortunately left the theatre very dissapointed and where I was sitting near the back of the stalls at some points I and my neighbours could hardy hear what some of the actors were saying except for Mark Gatiss, David Troughton and Oliver Chris who appeared to be the only one projecting their voices. Not one I would want to see again. - ils | 09 Dec 10 |
