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Synopsis Kate is delighted when she finds a country retreat that ticks all the boxes. Gathering together a select group of her closest friends to celebrate New Year’s Eve, she is keen to start 2010 afresh. But successful, stressed-out thirtysomethings in search of a good time in the sticks can make for one very fearsome party...and some surprising resolutions. Michael Wynne’s buoyant new comedy takes a microscope to modern dilemmas about life, love and retro board games. Michael Wynne’s previous plays include The People Are Friendly and The Knocky for the Royal Court, and Sell Out, Dirty Wonderland and The Boy Who Left Home. He also co-wrote the film My Summer of Love. Downstairs
It is an almost inconceivable Royal Court main stage scenario: a group of middle-class young professionals gather for a New Year’s Eve party in an oak-panelled country retreat and tear each other apart.
Michael Wynne’s new play comes across as a “Big Chill” variation with a few bitter twists that leave Kate and her friends gasping for air while the ghost of a hooded monk peers through the window.
Kate (Jessica Hynes), a budding writer, has booked the gig after a traumatic break-up and rebound reunion with long-ago boyfriend Carl (Rupert Penry-Jones), an out-of-work actor married to a thrusting, self-obsessed television producer, Rebecca (Rachael Stirling).
They are joined by travel writer Ben (Alastair Mackenzie) and his flaky new girlfriend – they met yesterday – Laura (Charlotte Riley). In a bizarrely Ray Cooney-style opening sequence, Kate prowls designer Robert Innes Hopkins’s old priory - vaulted walls and light-up stuffed deer heads - while a secretive man in black – the hooded monk? – pops on and off with a Sabatier kitchen knife.
This sets up a farce expectation that is literally in shreds by the end, after Carl and Rebecca’s marriage is laid bare, coke-sniffing compounds the effects of hours of drinking, a fancy dress interlude goes wrong, an iPhone is trampled to bits and the Sabatier features in a wrist-slashing suicide bid.
Sounds like Alan Ayckbourn in the raw? In a way, it is, but Wynne’s sharp, funny writing and Jeremy Herrin’s exceptionally well acted production ensure total authenticity so that by the end the play feels positively radical in this main stage bastion of the cutting edge.
Hynes’ Kate, a character in turmoil after the death of her mother and a miscarriage, is relying heavily on “best friend” Daniel, a willowy gay architect played with quivering sensitivity by Joseph Millson, who weakens momentarily with the intrusion of a local, non-monastic pick-up (Nick Blood).
The play is a giant step for Wynne, who first surfaced on the Court’s young writers’ programme fifteen years ago and co-wrote the beautiful, touching movie My Summer of Love based on ex-RSC publicist Helen Cross’s affecting novel of the same title.
His control of situation and character is impressively mature, and the performances of Stirling as a media bitch and Riley as a dangerously impulsive, sexy outsider are nothing short of revelatory. It’s the most surprisingly conventional play in Sloane Square in a very long time: a really strong draught of seasonal bad cheer.
Well, The Priory has certainly polarised opinion here and exposed some awful snobs too. It could have been written by Alan Ayckbourn. In fact if it had Ayckbourn's name on it I bet there wouldn't be a single one star here. I LOVED IT - it was a blast. Rebecca Hynes, seemingly reprising her role as the downtrodden sister in The Norman Conquests, added much poignancy to the character of Kate. Of course some of the other performances were OTT, BUT it was farce - Christ it even had four entrances and exits! And like true farce it has a basic truth, in this case "Is there more to life than success?". Well you'll have to answer that one for yourselves, but Daniel and Kate may just have the answer to that. Don't be put off by the one stars here. Go with an open mind, an open heart and ENJOY yourselves - after all that's what theatre can be and should be sometimes. - rds
04 Jan 10
At first, it seems a contemporary spin on the age-old farce; well executed but rather old-fashioned just the same. Even the realistic set looked like it was recently used for a Ben Travers revival. I was beginning to check I was sitting in those leather Royal Court seats and not in West End ersatz velvet. But just like Sondheim’s musical Into the Woods, where things unravel in the second half, so it goes here. Everyone’s back story comes out and seemingly successful thirty-somethings turn out to be entirely dysfunctional. Some of the acting is hammy and OTT and it’s an odd and not entirely comfortable concoction, but there are enough moments to enjoy to make the trip worthwhile. - Gareth James
08 Dec 09
Bland sit-com rubbish. NOT what the Court should be doing at all. It's simply pandering to the morons who would be happier at the Lion King. This is not "something a bit different" but EXACTLY the same as everywhere else. Dumbing down with a capital 'D'. - The voice of reason
04 Dec 09
Believable characters, perfect pace, was gripped til the end. A great play - something a bit different. - louise
03 Dec 09
We enjoyed this so much and we are writers who were reviewing this play!
Truly funny, dramatic and well written/acted. - Angel
01 Dec 09
Very Poor - Coral
30 Nov 09
One thing you could not call this is 'Very Poor', perhaps it was a little to close to reality for some. Perfect venue to put this on - Sloane Square, first play I have seen where you can actually see the characters sitting in the audience. What is success? How is it measured? Does it bring you happiness? Does it matter?Just a few questions the play provokes, if you want a good laugh with a bitter edge and see quality acting go for it. - Gman.
29 Nov 09
Starts off like an Agatha Christie mystery and then laughs come flying. Expertly written and acted. - Kenneth Stein
28 Nov 09
A very poor play which had some very interesting things to say but so badly written and apart from Rachel Stirling and Ms Riley not very well acted - I loved Jessica on her own shows on TV but her stage acting although poignant needed a lot more work from the Director. All in all a poor night out - and when will the RC employ better bar staff and clean the loos properly! The Court of the 70's was an infinitely nicer and more exciting place to be. - Ruth
28 Nov 09
2 stars for the acting and a few good one-liners. otherwise this is a dreary mess of cheap laughs, easy stereotypes, and common-or-garden thirtysomething angst... - fred
The first theatre opened as The New Chelsea on 16 Apr 1870. Changed name to Belgravia. Re-opened as Royal Court 25 Jan 1871. Demolished in 1887. New theatre opened (current, slightly different site) 24 Sep 1888. Famous for supporting and commissioning new writing. Probably the first UK Theatre to regularly include their URL in advertising. Member of the Society of London Theatre. In 1996 the theatre closed for redevelopment, funded by the National Lottery. The refurbished theatre at Sloane Square re-opened in February 2000 including two theatres the 389 seat Jerwood Theatre Downstairs and the studio style Jerwood Theatre Upstairs.
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