Wonderful, brilliant, inventive, in short, a great night out at the theatre. Well done to the Young Vic, and Tanya Ronder for a terrific adaptation. The audience last night were a little muted - very British - not quite sure when to laugh, or if they should -(Sometimes the cast must wonder if they haven't all died!)I'd love to see it done in NYC, they know how to enjoy themselves. The ensemble take to it with gusto, and it fair romps along. Huge credit to Colin Morgan who, unbelievably, is making his professional stage debut. This guy is one to watch. Mark Lockyer leads the rest of a great company. Rufus Norris also deserves great credit for pulling the whole thing together so well. This is how the NT's current flop, A Matter of Life and Death, ought to have been. If you haven't seen it yet, GO NOW!, you'll love it. - rds
15 Jun 07
Just what the Young Vic is for - a great piece of stroytelling, inventively staged with 9 actors playing over 50 parts with great verve, including an auspicious debut from Colin Morgan as Vernon. I haven't read the book, but on stage its a wonderful cocktail of satire, comedy and drama; my only niggle would be that it needs a judicious bit of editing. - Gareth James
31 May 07
Who are these so called, 'professional' critics, that actually recieve a cheque for telling us what they think? Of course I am far from original in saying this, but many have got it wrong about this cracker of a show, particularly your own 'professional' website snob. This is a return to form for Rufus Norris, arguably one of the best directors working in Britain today. The novel is a wonderful, complex and fast moving bundle of hysteria and Norris and his adaptor Tanya Ronder pull this off with extreme clarity and vision, they stay true to the characters and the atmosphere the novel evokes. Norris clearly had a budget and he pulls everything out of his theatrical ruck sack to compensate for this, furniture is ingeniously turned nto a variety of vehicles and the cast manage to pull off extreme character changes within seconds. The acting is superb and there isnt a weak link in the cast. The critics have been harsh on Norris and I think this is because he likes to have fun and God knows we need some of that! - Lord Byron
30 May 07
Apparently Vernon God Little is very high on the list of books that people fail to finish. If it's anything like this stage adaptation I'm not surprised because I have never come closer to walking out than I did today. Appallingly self-indulgent, this interminable production feels like a bad drama school end-of-term show and by the end I would have gladly traded places with Vernon as the prospect of death by lethal injection became preferable to enduring any more of this irritating mess. Admittedly the target audience appears to be students, but even though I am younger than Nick Hytner perhaps I am too much of a "dead white male" to appreciate the Young Vic's latest offering. - David Baxter
24 May 07
Absolutely wonderful. Tanya Ronder has kept DBC Pierre's distinctive voice for her deft stage version, and Rufus Norris' gorgeously vulgar, funny and ultimately poignant staging is a knockout. Colin Morgan makes a striking stage debut as VGL and he is ably supported by a fine cast who look as though they're having as much fun as we are. I've never seen the Young Vic's unique space used as breathtakingly as it is here. A thought-provoking, grotesque, fun-filled triumph. - ajh
17 May 07
Great fun and IMHO better than the book. I was continually surprised by the imaginative staging. So much invention and the pace meant you never got bored. - Oliver
17 May 07
I was swept away. Startling images that stay with you for days, and flawless performances under what is the simply staggering direction of Rufus Norris, who throws up surprise after blissfully theatrical surprise. Pure entertainment. - Kate
17 May 07
Excellent!. A passionate and ambitious production, this demanded a lot from the cast who delivered faultlessly . Surprising and inventively composed throughout, with great use of humour and of music.Perfectly balanced in mood and dynamics, this is hugely entertaining. - jude
17 May 07
A perfect example of how theatrics (and boy were there some theatrics) can bring to life a story that in paperback form I found tricky. Not to say the book isn't great but the production's screenplay and direction in this instance were superb. The most colourful cast of characters and a wonderful stage set ensured a fast and furious Southern fest. I loved it. The Young Vic excelled itself. Welcome back y'all! - Eunice
16 May 07
A perfect example of how theatrics (and boy were there some theatrics) can bring to life a story that in paperback form I found tricky. Not to say the book isn't great but the production's screenplay and direction in this instance were superb. The most colourful cast of characters and a wonderful stage set ensured a fast and furious Southern fest. I loved it. The Young Vic excelled itself. Welcome back y'all! - Eunice
16 May 07
Superb theatre. Funny, fast, deeper than it seems, wonderfully acted. Rufus Norris is a genious, and this pplay confirms him (for me) as one of the leading directors in bbritish theatre (and that means in world theatre). Just his name is enough for me to go and see a play (that only happens for me with Grandage, Mendes, and usually -although not always with Nunn. - Tino
