THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS

Finborough Theatre

★★★

“If you enjoy theatre with a sting in the tail, this revival of ‘The Truth About Blayds’ delivers”

Every family has secrets. But what if yours is so explosive it could derail a national institution? ‘The Truth About Blayds’ explores the collision of power and principles, exposing the dangers of idolising money and fame. Despite its sharp execution and timely themes, it may feel a little tone-deaf to contemporary tastes.

One of A. A. Milne’s early plays (yes, that A. A. Milne), ‘The Truth About Blayds’ is set in the 1920s and opens on the 90th birthday of literary titan, Oliver Blayds. Blayds is lauded alongside Wordsworth and Tennyson, and devoted literary critic, A. L. Royce, is invited to give a special address in his honour. However, Royce’s reverence is met with cynicism from Blayds’ grandchildren Oliver and Septima, resentful devotion from Blayds’ youngest daughter Isobel, and self-interested pragmatism from Blayds’ eldest daughter Marion and her husband William. When a shattering revelation threatens to rip everything away, will the family do the right thing? Or will the burden of legacy sway their moral compasses?

Produced by Andrew Maunder and Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre, this production embodies the theatre’s mission to revive plays untouched for over 25 years. Written by A. A. Milne (of ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ fame), the text captures a web of tension between characters with wit and mischief: Oliver’s cynicism cuts through Royce’s blind adoration; Isobel’s saint-like self-sacrifice clashes with William and Marion’s scheming; William patronises Marion despite adopting her surname. Furthermore, Milne cleverly reveals that Blayds’ isn’t the only façade: every character is hiding something. You could argue it’s the perfect play to revive in a post-truth world. However, revivals risk failing to resonate with modern audiences, and this is no exception. Recent power-abuse scandals have rocked the nation, and the story of a rich white man’s unchecked privilege sits rather uncomfortably in their wake.

David Gilmore’s direction speaks volumes through silence, with reactions slicing as sharply as the witty prose. There are some bold directional choices. Septima’s final plea to the family is delivered with her back to the audience, introducing ambiguity to her intentions. Isobel breaks the fourth wall with her final line, forcing the audience to confront the family’s decision.

The performances are sharp and controlled, though perhaps a little too buttoned-up at points. George Rowlands’ razor-sharp timing means Oliver’s acid wit steals every scene. William Gaunt’s Blayds infuses a lifetime of experience into his surprisingly fleeting performance, steeped in reminiscence before revealing his quiet dread. Catherine Cusack shows appropriate restraint but I couldn’t help wanting to see Isobel unravel.

Alex Marker’s stage design captures Victorian maximalism, appearing both opulent and sterile. The deceptively simple lighting (Jonathan Simpson) sets the scene with the backlit sash windows of a London townhouse, and a soft spot subtly illuminating Blayds’ omnipotent portrait. The costumes (Carla Joy Evans) span Victorian, Edwardian and flapper eras, emphasising inter-generational divides. Scene changes set to Strauss’ waltzes contrast flowing beauty with scheming pettiness, reinforcing façade over fact.

If you enjoy theatre with a sting in the tail, this revival of ‘The Truth About Blayds’ delivers. It may not have aged that gracefully and the delivery can feel a touch polite, but there’s no shortage of wit, warmth, and scandal to keep the evening entertaining.

THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS

Finborough Theatre

Reviewed on 13th September 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Carla Joy Evans

Previously reviewed at this venue:

DIAGNOSIS | ★★★½ | May 2025

THE INSEPERABLES | ★★★ | April 2025

THE PASSENGER | ★★★★ | February 2025

KAFKA | ★★ | June 2024

THE TAILOR OF INVERNESS | ★★★ | May 2024

BANGING DENMARK | ★★★ | April 2024

FOAM | ★★★★ | April 2024

JAB | ★★★★ | February 2024

THE WIND AND THE RAIN | ★★★ | July 2023

SALT-WATER MOON | ★★★★ | January 2023

THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS

★★★

“Aitken and Beamish do their very best to bring the story to life

In 2019, over a century after the Great War ended, is there anything left to say about it, you might ask. And I would reply, a fair bit actually – the Irish involvement is still pretty under-told, as is the Indian, African, and Australian. How about the Armenian genocide snuck right in the middle of it all? Don’t hear much about that. And, you know what, now that I think about it, I don’t know much about the Canadian troops either. And unfortunately, after two hours of John Gray’s ‘Billy Bishop Goes to War’ I still don’t. In fact, the title could easily double as synopsis: Canadian Billy Bishop, a fairly average young man, goes to fight for his King, his motherland, his “home away from home”. And there he learns that war is bad, that taking part in a war can sometimes feel good, and that you never forget how good and bad it all was.

But we know that’s how it’s going to go from the very start, as old-man Billy Bishop (Oliver Beamish) enters with a lurching gait in to his bunker-style man-cave, half-bottles of whiskey, mounted antlers and various WWI paraphernalia all scattered about. He is soon followed by his younger, uniformed self (Charles Aitken) to tell the tale. The whole play sits in that first tableau, and if you’re waiting for a twist in the plot, it’s not coming.

Predictability aside, Beamish and Aitken both make a good go of it. Beamish’s Canadian accent is a little shaky at times, but he more than makes up for it with his other Blackadder-esque British military characters. Aitken’s accent is more consistent but sometimes takes precedent over his delivery. Similarly, he shines in the more comical role of elderly socialite Lady St Helier. Neither man is afraid to take up space, or to throw their physicality behind a variety of parts, each playing at least five or six different characters.

The whole play takes place in Bishop’s hidey-hole, giving a sense of playing even as he sits in a cockpit, shooting at German planes and recounting pilots plummeting to their deaths. In this way, the set (Daisy Blower) supports the music (John Gray) in swiftly backing away from any emotional weightiness – any time Bishop experiences loss or trauma, there’s a song to make it nice and catchy. Wake to find two sleeping corpses in your trench? Let’s sing about it! Incidentally, both actors sing pleasantly enough, and Beamish accompanies nicely on piano.

Director Jimmy Walters has done well with the tools he was given. It’s not ground-breaking, but I don’t see how you could make it so. There are a couple of laughs, a couple of nice songs, and Aitken and Beamish do their very best to bring the story to life. Unfortunately, a century after Billy Bishop went to war, we require more than an old boys’ club patting each other on the back, saying, with only a smidgeon of solemnity, ‘It really was a great war.’

Reviewed by Miriam Sallon

Photography by Nick Rutter

THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS

Finborough Theatre

★★★

“If you enjoy theatre with a sting in the tail, this revival of ‘The Truth About Blayds’ delivers”

THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS

Finborough Theatre

Reviewed on 13th September 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Carla Joy Evans

Previously reviewed at this venue:

THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS

THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS

THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS

Southwark Playhouse

Reviewed – 15th March 2019

★★★

“Aitken and Beamish do their very best to bring the story to life

Reviewed by Miriam Sallon

Photography by Nick Rutter

Billy Bishop Goes to War

Southwark Playhouse until 6th April

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

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