Reader Reviews
Long Day's Journey into Night (Apollo Theatre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | I found this boring, quite a few people people left in the intermission. Nothing new or interesting. It had a very small audience. - FloriaS | 19 Aug 12 |
| I usually find Eugene O'Neill pretty heavy going but if Long Day's Journey Into Night is as autobiographical as is generally accepted it's hardly surprising he was so miserable. This portrayal of an all too typical day of alcoholism and morphine addiction is much easier to admire than enjoy as the Tyrone family offer fleeting glimpses of affection amongst the vicious barbs. The performances are superb but never better than when Tyrone unfolds his life story to his younger son; an upbringing of desperate poverty and an acting career sidelined by typecasting as he chased financial security rather than classical roles. David Suchet (playing opposite an excellent understudy) allows us to see the vulnerability of a man who has known real hardship as well as glimpses of what could have been a great classical career. I still think that O'Neill's dialogue is over-wordy and clumsy but this is a superb production of his acknowledged masterpiece. - David Baxter | 16 Aug 12 |
| Meant to give this 5 stars. I saw this last night and was very impressed. It was gripping from start to finish. Both David Suchet and Laurie Metcalf were amazing! Very moving at the end. It's a shame that the entire upper circle was empty but I would definitely recommend this, it's a superb production. - Sam | 28 Apr 12 |
| I saw this last night and was very impressed. It was gripping from start to finish. Both David Suchet and Laurie Metcalf were amazing! Very moving at the end. It's a shame that the entire upper circle was empty but I would definitely recommend this, it's a superb production. - Sam | 28 Apr 12 |
| I can't say this is a favourite play of mine but I must give credit where it's due. There is some fine acting here from all the players. I loved Mark Henderson's lighting and Lez Brotherson's set too, they created just the right mood. I agree that the wig for Laurie Metcalf was a big mistake but despite that slight over melodramatic addition, she managed the part beautifully. David Suchet was excellent as usual. I found I liked lots of individual scenes in this production more than the play as a whole. If I had a criticism it would be that I didn't really feel for many of the characters as perhaps I should have done. Interesting to see productions like this on Shaftesbury Avenue though rather than at the subsidised houses. - Stuart | 16 Apr 12 |
| The first half is so relentlessly aggressive and downbeat, and the lurid description of Laurie Metcalf's mama as a "dope fiend" sounded so archaic, that I was a bit turned off. But in Act 2 things got a LOT more nuanced, and there is a wonderful lengthy conversation, beautifully acted, between David Suchet's James Tyrone and Kyle Soller's Edmund that is truly great. And the scenes that follow, featuring Trevor White and Laurie Metcalf are equally excellent. I ended up feeling I had seen some great theatre, not merely bludgeoned by an anti-drugs campaign (the feeling I got from Act 1). - steveatplays | 15 Apr 12 |
| The first half is so relentlessly aggressive and downbeat, and the lurid description of Laurie Metcalf's mama as a "dope fiend" sounded so archaic, that I was a bit turned off. But in Act 2 things got a LOT more nuanced, and there is a wonderful lengthy conversation, beautifully acted, between David Suchet's James Tyrone and Kyle Soller's Edmund that is truly great. And the scenes that follow, featuring Trevor White and Laurie Metcalf are equally excellent. I ended up feeling I had seen some great theatre, not merely bludgeoned by an anti-drugs campaign (the feeling I got from Act 1). - steveatplays | 15 Apr 12 |
| The first half is so relentlessly aggressive and downbeat, and the lurid description of Laurie Metcalf's mama as a "dope fiend" sounded so archaic, that I was a bit turned off. But in Act 2 things got a LOT more nuanced, and there is a wonderful lengthy conversation, beautifully acted, between David Suchet's James Tyrone and Kyle Soller's Edmund that is truly great. And the scenes that follow, featuring Trevor White and Laurie Metcalf are equally excellent. I ended up feeling I had seen some great theatre, not merely bludgeoned by an anti-drugs campaign (the feeling I got from Act 1). - steveatplays | 15 Apr 12 |
| Superb production of a great play, all of the acting is sublime but Laurie Metcalfe is especially impressive. Will be very surprised if this doesn't clean up at awards time! - ajh | 11 Apr 12 |
| I caught this play at Richmond before it's Transfer to the West End and thought it brilliant. After seeing Suchet in All my Sons, I was really looking forward to more powerful drama and this definitely had it. All My sons took many Stage awards/nominations and I think this play will do like wise. A great cast with David Suchet as always in top form and Laurie Metcalf very convincing and moving in her role. - Joe Spiteri | 11 Apr 12 |
| Kyle Soller IS American... - David T | 24 Feb 12 |
| I saw this production during its pre-West End run at the Richmond Theatre. Its success can be gauged by the full and rapt audience which erupted into enthusiastic cheers at the end. This is a 'wordy' play, to say the least, with its four main characters exchanging verbal blows like boxers, but it is never less than fascinating. David Suchet as the overbearing husband, James Tyrone, could be expected to be magnificent, as, indeed, he is (I feel the Olivier Award on the horizon), but the real revelation is the young and largely inexperienced Kyle Soller as the younger son, Edmund. Before looking at his biography in the programme, I had assumed he was American, so perfect was his accent, but he is British and RADA-trained. Trevor White as the elder son, Jamie, does not have quite the same authenticity, and has a tendency to ham it up a bit. Laurie Metcalf as the morphia-addicted wife, Mary, was very moving, portraying a mixture of fragility and denial with increasing desperation as the play proceeds. Anthony Page's direction is a triumph all round. A perfect evening in the theatre. - sc | 23 Feb 12 |
