Reader Reviews
King John (Union Theatre, Inner London)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | A bunch of shifty looking actors sitting around a table in tat costumes. Just like watching a tramps conference. Bleedin' awful, gov! Got a quid for a cuppa-tea? - Taylor Hargreaves | 23 Feb 12 |
| Enjoyed everything about this production, the direction was tight and the ensemble of actors excelled themselves in weaving the complexity of the playscript into an understanding of the mistique of a King's life, never confident for a day with the machinations of past times horror of fleeting power...the music is intriguing adding a further layer of drama! Thrilling! - Angela Hyde-Courtney | 26 Jan 12 |
| Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this. Nicholas Osmond's John was superbly child-like whilst Samantha Lawson's Constance was formidable - a real talent to look out for in the future, the same goes for Rikki Lawton's Philip who was 'laddish' in attitude. Albert de Jongh provided a stunning portrayal of Arthur with hints of Autism which evoked more sympathy from the audience. A fabulous production and one that the cast should be proud of. - Ella | 26 Jan 12 |
| Absolutely loved it. Full of black humour and some extremely moving and at times horrifying scenes in the latter half of the play. There are some wonderful performances, but it is a true ensemble piece of theatre and should be seen. - Janet Thomson | 26 Jan 12 |
| K - Cliff Michelmore | 24 Jan 12 |
| Really enjoyed this - a quality production from a quality cast. The King of England and the King of France play off each other beautifully and with great humour - which I hadn't expected. An intelligent approach to the play by all and I highly recommend it. - Mary Payne | 24 Jan 12 |
| Thanks should be given to the Producer Claire Evans for giving the public an opportunity to see a rarely performed Shakespearean play. Unless one has a strong memory for British history, many of the minor characters in King John will be unknown or forgotten, which adds some confusion in following the plot, but this is a vibrant production with several outstanding performances, and Phil Willmott,the director, should be praied for his invention and flair, and his tight control of a large ensemble cast. - Colin Rose | 24 Jan 12 |
| Really solid work from all involved. Very high standard of performance of a play I had never seen before in a venue I had never been to. So was very pleased with the outcome. Not the most comfortable seats but was worth it to see the play. I will be following any future work with great enthusiasm. - Timothy Bond | 24 Jan 12 |
| A well Directed and Produced production which brought humour and pathos to a little known part of English history. The cast were excellent. - Les Hines | 23 Jan 12 |
| Watched it the other day and was pleasantly surprised! I'd never even heard of King John, never mind read it. I agree a lot with this WOS stage review, there is greatness in there which Shakespeare recycled in his future work. With regards to Harry's comment, to come out and say it was 'amdram'? Well I think that's unmeasured, cruel and pathetic. The acting was just as good as you'll see on the main stages across the world in my opinion and with the smallness of the theatre, EVEN BETTER! You see the pain in Constance's face, the anguish of Hubert and the comedy of King John. It's not the perfect play, but it's nearly the perfect production! 4 stars from me (and from plenty of the big newspapers!). PS, I've never written in the comments section before, but this idiot made me want to set the record straight! - Peter Clements | 23 Jan 12 |
| Oh God it's amdram awful - Harry | 23 Jan 12 |
