I can't agree with Gareth James, I went not knowing what to expect and enjoyed every minute of it. I'm not jaded or a theatre insider, just an ordinary punter and I wish there were more of this accessible, genuinely funny, touching, well acted sort of material in the West End. Its not an intellectual challenge but what it is is a cracking night out.
And Gareth, its "The Woman in Black", not White. - Kate Anstruther
14 Mar 11
What on earth is this doing in the West End? It’s a two-hander, from the man behind populist hits like Calendar Girls, which started as a one-acter in Scarborough 26 years ago, then a two-act version four years ago, then a UK tour two years ago.
In the first act we’re on the roof with a neon sign installer (and wannabee writer) and his work experience boy (and wannabee musician) and in the second with the now unemployed sign installer on a work placement with the new Trainee Deputy Assistant Manager of a hardware store (yes, you guessed, the work experience boy from the first act). Playwright Tim Firth flirts with interesting themes of unfulfilled lives, the generation gap and difficulties facing people who are starting out or thrown out of jobs, but it’s all half-baked. I felt sorry for Matthew Kelley and Gerard Kearns who did their best with such under-developed material, particularly in the slow first half. I might have felt differently if it turned up off-West End or on the fringe, but putting it in the highly competitive West End in a tough economic environment is just setting it up to fail, I’m afraid. I can only assume Peter Wilson can’t find anything else to do with his profits from Woman in White and An Inspector Calls! I’ll be surprised if it’s still there at the end of the month. - Gareth James
