On the Third Day - The Play's the Thing

Synopsis

Set in modern London where a young woman, alone and unattached catches the eye of a stranger in a bar. Before the night has ended, they will have told each other secrets that will change their lives forever. Kate Bett's debut stage play takes us from the depths of underground caves to the infinite reaches of the solar system and into the shattered heart of a broken family. On the Third Day reveals once again that the most memorable journeys are across the terrain of the human soul.

Our Review:

23 June 2006

Is it possible to kickstart a new theatrical writing talent via a reality television programme? Kate Betts, a 51-year-old mother of three who teaches at Chichester University, is the first-time playwright who has won the Channel 4 contest in the four-part series The Play’s the Thing.

The programme’s producer, Jan Younghusband, used to work at the National Theatre under Sir Peter Hall, and suggested the scheme to producer Sonia Friedman. The TV programmes have made compelling, though sometimes embarrassingly grisly, viewing as the plays were whittled down from a final 30 to just three, which were then battered into some kind of shape by Friedman and her fellow judges, literary agent Mel Kenyon and actor Neil Pearson.

Betts’ play is about a woman, Claire (Maxine Peake), who works at the London Planetarium, harbours incestuous feelings for her brother Robbie (Tom McKay) and meets an environmental health officer, Mike (Paul Hilton), who claims he was “a sort...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

62.6.139.13) - 7 July 2006:

Based on the TV series and the press reviews, I really wasn't looking forward to this - even at just a fiver for a ticket. Admittedly some of the dialogue needs more work but the story is genuinely involving, even if the concept of Mike actually being Jesus (?) is barking mad. There were times when I wondered if Kate Betts relly knew where the plot was heading but reassuringly the ending was quite moving with loose ends tied up satifactorily. All credit to Sonia Friedman, not just for the original idea, but for giving this play such a big production with excellent use of sound and video. However, I do feel it would have been even more effective if edited down to a one-act piece in a smaller space such as the Donmar. Finally, during the very beief curtain call Maxine Peake looked slightly embarressed by the whole thing. She needn't - the response from the audience (albeit quite sparce) was appreciative, her performance was excellent and I've seen far worse recently by so-called great writers; remember Romance, The God of Hell or The Cut? This is far superior to any of those train wrecks....

Read more and add your own review

Related Whatsonstage.com Articles

Review Round-up: Critics Unleashed on C4 Winner More»