Tag Archives: Erin Doherty

UNICORN

★★★★

Garrick Theatre

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UNICORN

Garrick Theatre

★★★★

“Walker and Mangan are both wonderful in their roles, giving a natural performance that allows us to believe in everything they say”

The trigger warning in the publicity for Mike Bartlett’s new play, “Unicorn”, states that it ‘contains explicit content and scenes of a sexual nature, which some audience members may find intriguing’. A description that could be applied to the whole play. For it is, indeed, an intriguing and curious affair. Whether it’s an affair of the heart is debatable. ‘Debatable’ being the operative word – the flames of desire are often dowsed by too much discussion. Which is the crux. Bartlett is the master of dialogue and “Unicorn” mixes sharp humour with weighty matters; sometimes dark but lit up by its dazzling one-liners that are timed perfectly, even if the aim is a bit unsure of its target.

Polly (Nicola Walker) is having a drink with one of her writing students, Kate (Erin Doherty). The mutual attraction transcends the age gap and looks set to leap over the lecturer/student divide. The trouble is though, Polly is happily married to Nick (Stephen Mangan), and they share everything. Aha! Why not share the ‘girlfriend’ too. Kate is up for it. Cut to scene two in which Polly broaches the subject with Nick. The spark is supposed to have gone from their marriage, although it is hard to believe as the chemistry and affection between the couple are more than evident in their conversation and body language. Walker and Mangan are both wonderful in their roles, giving a natural performance that allows us to believe in everything they say. Nick is more reticent about the idea of a threesome but is spurred on by Polly’s persuasiveness, which is a neat segue into scene three – one of the highlights in which Nick meets Kate for the first time. Mangan’s beautifully portrayed awkwardness clashes with Doherty’s cheeky, Essex-accented bluntness. Our sympathies lie with the former.

The short scenes are punctuated with riffs of the old music hall song ‘Daisy Daisy (Bicycle Made for Two)’; a neat, tongue in cheek touch. Initially they are light and jazzy, slowly morphing into a more masculine, cockney version until a final punk arrangement points us in the direction of darker territory. Miriam Buether’s simple and stark sets place the action under an umbrella-like, fabric semi-dome. Yet it is the words that always speak louder than the action (a reverse of the old adage). There is very little action and by interval we are starting to wonder where it is all going.

The second act provides the answer, and some unexpected twists too. And with a more pronounced political metaphor leaking into the language the humour takes a bit of a back step. Time has moved forward, and the relationships have taken on a different dynamic. We find ourselves further losing sympathy with the character of Kate – the motif ‘bicycle made for two’ taking on more resonance. Doherty’s intricate portrayal captures this dichotomy excellently; torn between her arrogant, self-imposed right to be considered part of the family but up against decades of intimacy that the couple previously shared without her. It’s hard to fix a third saddle onto the bike.

Bartlett is tackling material that is not necessarily ground-breaking or new. But he does throw a couple of surprises at us. Cleverly constructed with ever-shortening scenes that shrink towards a quite poignant finale, it is nevertheless the execution (with credit to James Macdonald’s able direction) that truly carries the weight. A starry cast, yes, but stellar performances. They make a powerful and seductive threesome that we’d all like to jump into bed with. Metaphorically, of course!

 



UNICORN

Garrick Theatre

Reviewed on 13th February 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Marc Brenner

 

 


 

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

WHY AM I SO SINGLE? | ★★★★ | September 2024
BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF | ★★★ | June 2024
FOR BLACK BOYS … | ★★★★ | March 2024
HAMNET | ★★★ | October 2023
THE CROWN JEWELS | ★★★ | August 2023
ORLANDO | ★★★★ | December 2022
MYRA DUBOIS: DEAD FUNNY | ★★★★ | September 2021

UNICORN

UNICORN

UNICORN

 

 

DEATH OF ENGLAND: CLOSING TIME

★★★★

@SohoPlace

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DEATH OF ENGLAND: CLOSING TIME at @SohoPlace

★★★★

“Duncan-Brewster and Doherty are simply thrilling to watch”

“Closing Time” is the third instalment of the “Death of England” trilogy of plays by Clint Dyer and Roy Williams. It has been a month since the first two – “Michael” and “Delroy”. During these first two monologues we were introduced to two off stage characters: Michael’s sister, Carly; and Delroy’s mother, Denise. We feel we know them both already such was the dynamic story telling of the actors. The anticipation is high as we wait to meet them in the flesh. We are not disappointed. From the moment Denise (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) and Carly (Erin Doherty) explode onto the stage we know we are in for another high-octane, scatter-gun ninety minutes of thought-provoking drama.

This time, though, it moves a little too fast. We are given no room to breathe as the two monologues compete and merge, overlap and clash, like a frantic tarantella dance; both women looking to purge the poisons that seem to have inflicted themselves and those around them. They spit and they rant, never knowing whether to attack or embrace. They attract and repel each other in equal measure, but therein lies our reservations. We, too, are unsure how far to be drawn in. Although there is no fourth wall there is an invisible barrier that keeps us at arm’s length this time. Perhaps there is just too much ranting (the monarchy, racism, colonialism, cancel culture, white privilege) or the delivery is just simply too fast, but we are less moved by the end than we were by their predecessors.

Duncan-Brewster’s Denise is simply captivating, however, as the accomplished yet frustrated chef. On her way to her dream, she has been running a food business in the East End. But it is closing down – or rather being closed down. Helping her pack up is her ‘daughter-in-sin’, Carly. Doherty gives a fierce, fire-cracker performance, her character sweeping the stage like a tornado. There is no eye of the storm, and Carly has no eye on the consequences of her actions. Her rebellious energy is intricately misplaced, epitomised in a drunken outburst (hilarious, yet ideologically as unsound as you can get) that is captured on camera and sent viral. Our cancel culture is brutally examined as these ill-chosen words lead to the collapse of Denise’s business. The causes and effects are brilliantly and dramatically evoked as the two actors swing between blame, forgiveness, defiance and pleading.

Still present is Benjamin Grant’s and Pete Malkin’s powerful and atmospheric sound design with its orchestral stabs, muted underscoring and thrilling realism; complemented by Jackie Shemesh’s lighting with its staccato shifts in perfect rhythm to the dialogue. The leitmotifs are all there, but the familiarity now lends an air of predictability. Similarly, we also start to feel that the characters’ views belong more to the writers; an impression that was absent in the first two monologues. Yet, despite a creeping impartiality in the text, we ultimately feel the magnetism of, and empathise with, these two broken personalities who show us that reconciliation is never completely out of reach. Duncan-Brewster and Doherty are simply thrilling to watch.

A month ago, I wrote that plays like “Death of England” are what keep English theatre well and truly alive – beating in the heart of the West End like the vital organ it is. By the time we reach “Closing Time” the sentiment still holds true, if a little wavering by now. But any signs of arrhythmia are swiftly curtailed by the outstanding performances.

 


DEATH OF ENGLAND: CLOSING TIME at @SohoPlace

Reviewed on 28th August 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Helen Murray

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

DEATH OF ENGLAND: DELROY | ★★★★★ | July 2024
DEATH OF ENGLAND: MICHAEL | ★★★★★ | July 2024
THE LITTLE BIG THINGS | ★★★★ | September 2023
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN | ★★★★★ | May 2023

DEATH OF ENGLAND: CLOSING TIME

DEATH OF ENGLAND: CLOSING TIME

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