I'm very surprised to see such harsh reviews. I greatly enjoyed the play, if 'enjoy' is the right word for such a bleak piece of drama. All the performances were excellent, and I loved the set. The play was reminiscent of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf' though I felt it lacked Woolf's underlying warmth and was almost relentlessly nihilistic. I think it could have benefited from more humour to relieve some of the longer exchanges. But overall I found it moving and thought-provoking. Admittedly it's not in the same classic league as Woolf, but that's a big ask, isn't it? - LDE
19 Mar 10
The rare sight of empty sets at the Donmar made me worried that Michael Grandage had had one of his occasional lapses of judgement. In fact Serenading Louie (incomprensible title) proved to be highly rewarding but I can easily see why some people will not agree with me (including Gareth James whose opinion I frequently share). Lanford Wilson demonstrates an uncanny knowledge of the inner thinking of two married men and some of his dialogue is brilliantly, if uncomfortably insightful. He is less at home with his female characters and the scenes between both couples are less convincing than those between Carl and Alex. The Ayckbournesque technique of using one set to represent two homes and having characters talking across and between locations can be a bit confusing but it's well worth sticking with it until the devastating finale. All four actors really get inside the skin of their characters: Jason Butler Harner is unknown to me but he proves to be one of the best American imports since Kevin Spacey and Jason O'Mara appears to be weirdly channelling Mel Gibson in both voice and looks. The play can be seen as very wordy and obtuse but I love Neil LaBute and I am sure Wilson must have been an influence on him. Manay people will really dislike this but I found it riveting and an unexpected triumph. - David Baxter
11 Mar 10
Twenty years ago I saw my last Lanford Wilson play. It was Burn This at Hampstead Theatre, with John Malkovitch and Juliet Stevenson, I thought it was rather good and have often wondered why there haven't been any other Lanford Wilson plays in London (?) since. Well, this one might give us a clue! I found Serenading Louie a most irrelevant and pointless play. It was impossible to empathise with or care about any of the characters. Nothing interesting happens. Acceptable performances and the nostalgia one gets from a 70's set ('ooh, I had one of those') doesn't really sustain one for 2 hours 15 mins. What was going through those bright minds at the Donmar when they thought we might be remotely interested in this tosh? - Gareth James
09 Mar 10
I struggled to think of something nice to say about this play and unlike the first reviewer liked the set. The carpet was particularly interesting.
A rare mis-fire for the Donmar. - addicted to theatre
08 Mar 10
If this had been my first experience of going to the theatre I would never go again and so thank god it wasn't! It's only when you see bad theatre do you appreciate good. The writer doesn't help, but the director is most probably to blame, I'm sure the actors were up to the job, but the job they were given was so wrought with tedium it defied belief. I have to confess I didn't stick it out and left at the interval, but I do not believe in any way shape or form it could have redeemed itself in the second half. This play may be better with another director, but I shall never know it because he managed to turn me off the play so much I will never give it another chance - life's too short! - rds
05 Mar 10
spot on review. just come from the matinee and loved it. - jilly
18 Feb 10
I thoroughly LOVED it! I went with much trepidation (thinking it was only about affluent American angst) but then was happily surprised and drawn in in very unexpected ways. It could lose a five minutes but that was minor given some of the lines I'm quoting from two nights ago. It isn't everyone's evening of theatre but it is a fascinating lesson in nuance and subtle behavior which makes the Donmar the ideal place to see it. The performances are superb across the board, and the two men in particular were astounding. If you like intense drama and Madmen, you should go. - Michael
17 Feb 10
Dull, drab, poorly performed, weakly directed. Dreadful set. Not a hint of LaBute in it; no style, no substance. Saw at least fourteen people walking out of the preview I saw. - William
