MOST FAVOURED

Soho Theatre

★★★½

“this slick two hander pulses with life”

‘Most Favoured’ breathes new life into the Christmas story with a fresh, funny and heartfelt take on a cornerstone of Christianity. With a stellar cast and staging, it offers audiences a vibrant alternative to the usual festive fare.

Mary’s hiding a secret. Enter Mike, a clueless US tourist obsessed with KFC. After a whirlwind one-night stand, Mary lets her guard down… only to discover Mike has a secret too.

Written by award winning playwright David Ireland, ‘Most Favoured’ is an offbeat spin on a familiar story. Ireland makes striking use of contrasts: the oversharing Mary is set against the taciturn Mike, with rapid fire exchanges cleverly offset by silence. There are shrewd dynamic shifts, each character leaving the other speechless, and we power through a kaleidoscope of emotions in record time. Yet the twist proves predictable and the dialogue thereafter takes on overtly religious tones, losing some of its earlier sparkle and thinning the plot. The ironic finale – complete with a hilarious callback – lands with mischievous flair, though feels slightly misplaced after the devotional detour. Still, this is an entertaining spin that brings the story bang up to date.

Directed by Max Elton, Literary Associate Director at Soho Theatre, this slick two hander pulses with life. Staged as a single scene, the production sustains momentum through varied use of space and natural blocking. The contrasting characters are vividly realised, with nuanced reactions and expressive detail revealing inner worlds. The pacing is strong overall, though a few pregnant pauses could be trimmed. Still, shifts in tempo add texture and help us forget we’re in the same hotel room.

Ceci Calf’s set and costume design is spot on. The set convincingly evokes a well-known chain of budget hotels, complete with a witty window gag. The costumes are very on brand for each character, especially the use of colour which the clothes on the floor don’t immediately give away.

Amy Daniels’ lighting design is understated yet effective, lending the production a naturalistic feel. The closing fade, paired with a tongue in cheek reveal, provides a witty final flourish.

Marcus Rice’s sound design is pared back but intentional, using music sparingly for maximum impact. Naturalistic effects such as the shower are deployed with precision, adding just enough texture to bring the scene to life.

The cast is superb. Lauren Lyle – two-time BAFTA Scotland award winner – humanises Mary with gritty allure. Lyle deftly balances feistiness with tender vulnerability, her facial expressions effortlessly charting hope, betrayal and hurt with skill. Alexander Arnold, best known for roles in ‘Skins’ and ‘Yesterday’, is a quirky yet endearing Mike. Arnold’s deadpan reactions counter Lyle’s heightened energy, while sly comic beats – such as repeatedly eyeing the KFC during an impassioned speech from Mary – showcase his timing. Together, the pair make a charming oddball couple, delivering a masterclass in the art of showing rather than telling.

‘Most Favoured’ is a quirky, witty Christmas romp with a heart of gold. While the writing feels like a tale of two halves, the assured delivery maintains momentum, making this an engaging and entertaining seasonal show.

MOST FAVOURED

Soho Theatre

Reviewed on 15th December 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Danny Kaan

MOST FAVOURED

★★★★

“a richly entertaining piece of theatre driven by starry performances”

“Nobody minded bad behaviour as long as the public didn’t get to hear about it” Louis B. Mayer once told his young star, Mickey Rooney. Since the birth of Hollywood this has been a truism, sustaining the myth of the movie mogul as profane, vulgar, cruel, rapacious and philandering. The only real change these days is that the public does get to hear about it more and more. There is currently one name that everybody will no doubt associate with Barney Fein, the sleaze-ball producer masterfully played by John Malkovitch in David Mamet’s “Bitter Wheat”. But Mamet’s writing points the finger at a longer line of tycoons to produce an amalgam which adds more dimensions to the character. Malkovitch seizes this opportunity to add humour and human traces. But never sympathy.

Nobody escapes the machine-gun fire of Fein’s vitriol that turns to lasciviousness when he meets young actress, Yung Kim Li, to discuss her new film. He promises stardom, and we all know in return for what, especially as he has just had a high dose of a libido-enhancing drug that is just kicking in. Ioanna Kimbook catches on just as quickly with an impressive portrayal of the ingénue’s growing discomfort. It’s in this scene that Mamet’s wit really shines through, with faux-pas in abundance that soon take a darker turn when the inevitable career defining threat arrives.

Sadly, neither character comes out of this well. Nor does the second act which seems to be racing towards its rather farcical conclusion. Naturally, when the police are brought in Fein’s life falls apart. But the actress’ career is destroyed too, before it has started. Fein’s long-suffering secretary is also out of a job. Doon Mackichan downplays the contempt she feels for Fein perfectly – pitching it just right: high enough to be recognised but low enough to avoid the counterattack.

The subplots and sub characters that are tagged onto this central story seem unnecessary. An illegal immigrant who assassinates Fein’s terminally ill mother serves little purpose. The opening scene of the play, on the other hand, in which Fein refuses to pay a screenwriter his due fee is underexplored and unceremoniously discarded. It is in these moments that we are given a stronger insight into the psyche of the extraordinary character that is Barney Fein; and into the machinations of Hollywood. There is a quirkiness to the dialogue that is unmatched by the predictability of the sexual assault headlines.

Overall though, this is a richly entertaining piece of theatre driven by starry performances. Mamet manages to display his usual, exhilarating and unique flair with words, tackling an uncomfortable subject. If anything, however, the humour makes it all a bit too comfortable and doesn’t necessarily advance the issues it is addressing. In this case truth is stranger than fiction.

Reviewed by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Manuel Harlan

Tag Archives: Alexander Arnold

MOST FAVOURED

★★★½

Soho Theatre

MOST FAVOURED

Soho Theatre

★★★½

“this slick two hander pulses with life”