Reader Reviews
The Vortex (Donmar Warehouse, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Saw the last night of the Vortex. It was the second time I have been and it was absolutely brilliant. Well done to the whole cast especially chiewetel and Francesca. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.31.253.21) | 16 Feb 03 |
| Excellent. Well portrayed by all. Great play, beautiful set, brilliant acting by the lead characters. Lots to think about.... especially how shocking drug taking was in those days and how we are all more than a little numb to it now. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.67.69) | 29 Jan 03 |
| I was expecting much more from this. I think Coward is one of the most over-rated playwrights there is - true, a brilliant songwriter and epigrammis, but someone whose plays seem incapable of presenting real people. This is a shockingly dated play: it is ludicrous to a 2003 audience that mother should have the vapours because her rich, spoiled, musician son is taking cocaine is laughable (it would be more radical in having such a person not tooting a bit of charlie). I was expecting something a bit more radical from the Donmar but this is such a straightforward production. Despite the presence of such a talented cast hardly any of the characters seem to resemble real people in any way (the exception is the brilliant Deborah Findlay (sp?) who manages to breathe some real life into Helen. The rest of them are monstrous caricatures. Let's hope the new regime at the Donmar does better than this. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (213.120.117.40) | 13 Jan 03 |
| This is not up to the Donmar standard that we are used to (we might be a bit spoilt). But Umbers was good, but one thing I did notice about him was that he was the only cast member not to take a bow (he did not come out at all). This was very strange to me and other audience members. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (194.117.133.118) | 30 Dec 02 |
| My husband and I saw the play on Saturday 28th. We both thought it was absolutely excellent. I have to say the whole cast were brilliant but for us the star of the show is Francesca Annis - the only way to describe her is awesome. She is a great actress. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (194.117.133.118) | 30 Dec 02 |
| the donmar production of this coward play is stunning michael grandage is ensuring that the donmar continues as londons leading theatre the whole production is brilliant - especially the set and lighting designs the cast are all fantastic - i think the three who really stand out are mark umbers (freddie in mfl - yum yum!!!!) indira varna (privates on parafe) and the brilliant deborah findlay (mother clap) catch it whilst you can - USER: Whatsonstage.com (194.117.133.118) | 28 Dec 02 |
| Absolutely agree about Francesca - I saw the preview on 7 Dec and her performance was superb - she is fantastic! Such a shame she doesn't appear on stage more often! There is great support from the other cast members too. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (213.40.3.97) | 14 Dec 02 |
| Saw this show earlier in the week, awesome is the word to use. All the actors were brilliant but the best of the lot is Francesca Annis - a seriously underrated actress. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.31.224.2) | 13 Dec 02 |
