Category: West End

You may already be familiar with The Spy Who Came In From the Cold – John le Carré’s seminal spy novel from 1963 was swiftly adapted into a major film in 1965 starring Richard Burton – although somewhat surprisingly, none of the author’s stories have ever made it to the stage. Until now, that is: adapted by playwright David Eldridge, this production was first staged in 2024 at the Chichester Festival Theatre and has now transferred to London’s West End at the @sohoplace theatre. It is directed by three-time Olivier…

Katherine Moar’s new play, Ragdoll, is inspired by the trial of American heiress Patty Hearst. We weren’t familiar with her story, so, for context: she was kidnapped by far-left guerrilla group the Symbionese Liberation Army in 1974, who raped her while she was held captive. She was coerced into committing crimes on their behalf, and was arrested after CCTV footage emerged of her involvement in a bank robbery. Initially she was deemed guilty and went to prison, though her sentence was commuted by President Carter and then a pardon was…

For those unfamiliar with The Maids – we hadn’t seen it until this week – it’s not an easy watch. Written by Jean Genet, who was closely associated with the ‘Theatre of Cruelty’ movement (theatre that shocked audiences at the time with portrayals of violence, and which challenged accepted social constructs), it explores the power dynamic between Madame and her two servants. This is a new translation by Kip Williams, who also directs; theatregoers will be familiar with Williams’ recent Olivier- and Tony-winning revival of The Picture of Dorian Gray,…