Honour

Synopsis

For the past 32 years Honor has been married to George. A prominent journalist, George is to feature in a book on the Movers and Shakers but when the beguiling young Claudia arrives to pen his profile, he's unsettled to have his own interview techniques - and a few other tricks - turned on him. When George leaves Honor for Claudia, their lives - including that of the couple's insecure twentysomething daughter - are thrown into turmoil.

Our Review:

28 February 2003

Joanna Murray-Smith's domestic four-hander was first seen in her native Australia and now receives its UK premiere at the National, its setting relocated to the literati haven of north London populated by an all-British cast to die for.

George (Corin Redgrave) and Honor (now Dame Eileen Atkins) have been married for 32 years, their insecure daughter Sophie (Anna Maxwell Martin), now in her 20s, finding succour in the charm of her parents' happiness. A prominent journalist, George is to feature in a book on the Movers and Shakers but when Claudia (Catherine McCormack) arrives to pen his profile, he's unsettled to have his own interview techniques - and a few other tricks - turned on him.

While Murray-Smith's play opens with some interesting intellectual sparring, once the inevitable seduction transpires, the story veers headlong towards the banal. In the grips of (slightly past) mid-life crisis, successful older man leaves family for sexy younger woman who m...

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Latest User Review

USER: Whatsonstage.com (213.123.153.216) - 26 April 2003:

Godd play that could have been great if the character of Claudia had been anything like as appealing as Honor. A loveletter to mothers and wives everywhere, but frankly, he would never have left her for the irritating, plain girl McCormack played....

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