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Theatre

Splendour, Donmar Warehouse ★★★★★

30 Jul 15 – 26 Sep 15, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

The Donmar London premiere of playwright Abi Morgan's Splendour is a tense, intelligent and expertly performed by an all-female cast.

By Lucy Brooks on 31/7/2015

1 CW reader is interested
Splendour by Abi Morgan at the Donmar Warehouse
Splendour by Abi Morgan at the Donmar Warehouse
Splendour, Donmar Warehouse 3 Splendour, Donmar Warehouse Lucy Brooks
Splendour, Donmar Warehouse review: Culture Whisper says ★★★★★


When it debuted almost ten years ago in Dublin, Splendour reviews were jubilant. Finally, Abi Morgan's play about four women waiting in a room comes to London to open the starry new season at the Donmar Warehouse. 
Splendour play: Donmar Warehouse revival
Set in the lavish surroundings of a palatial drawing room in an unnamed country, this arresting four-hander intercuts dialogue with interior monologues to increasingly disquieting effect. A photojournalist has come to take a picture of a dictator and together with his wife, her friend and an interpreter, four women await his arrival. 
There's no linear structure and parts of scenes are repeated with different characters delivering the lines. The dialogue spirals, repeating the same moments but intensifying and expanding the story with each repetition, so the women's exchanges bristle with an increasing brittleness and occasional cracks of tenderness.
The play itself takes a while to hook us, and even then we found ourselves willing the plot forward. It's clear that the pressure cooker single room scenario must break and the increasing sense of unrest beyond the room had our hearts hammering. But amidst the drama there are plenty of baggy moments that left us cold and made our minds wander. There's ample to enjoy in Splendour, but we can't help thinking that it could benefit with being wrung out and edited a little more.  
Donmar Warehouse: Splendour cast
There isn't a weak link in this all female cast and captivating performances all round make humans out of characters that could very easily feel shallow. We were particularly impressed by Genevieve O’Reilly, who is magnetic as whip-quick, withering photojournalist Katherine, and Sinead Cusack who made the first lady figure both steely and raw.
Abi Morgan - writer 
Master of plays, TV, and films Abi Morgan has both an Emmy and a BAFTA to her name. She's penned the script for blockbusters including the film Shame (starring Michael Fassbender) and BBC hits The Hour and Birdsong. Morgan's most recent play was The Mistress Contract (Royal Court, 2014). Splendour offers a welcome opportunity for London audiences to discover an early gem from one of our most prominent screenwriters. 
Richard Hastie - director
Rising star Robert Hastie directs. An associate director at the Donmar, he previously directed the theatre’s hit production of My Night With Reg which was much deserving of its West End Transfer. 



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What Splendour, Donmar Warehouse
Where Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London, WC2H 9LX | MAP
Nearest tube Covent Garden (underground)
When 30 Jul 15 – 26 Sep 15, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Price £7.50 - £37.50
Website Click here to book via the Donmar Warehouse



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    What the critics say

    THE GUARDIAN

    "It’s a gripping play that reminds one of Morgan’s abiding fascination with the fallibility of power and, even if attention is demanded, it is handsomely repaid."

    Michael Billington

    THE EVENING STANDARD

    "There’s a notable rhythm to Morgan’s staccato dialogue and it’s a clever conceit that the lines, in English of course, are in fact meant to represent two different languages."

    Fiona Mountford

    Practical

    THE DONMAR WAREHOUSE

    This intimate 250-seat theatre in Covent Garden has an enviably starry reputation and a knack for galvanising audiences and selling out well in advance of opening night. It is well known for its casting coups, regularly attracting famous faces such as Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne and Rachel Weisz to its small stage. Previously run by American Beauty director Sam Mendes and Michael Grandage, the theatre’s current artistic director is feather-ruffler Josie Rourke. Commenting on the new season she says: 'one of the things that most excites me about this season is the strong leading roles for women. It is a thrill to announce a season of work that features, in plays by living writers, women of the calibre and power of Zawe Ashton, Sinéad Cusack, Michelle Dockery, Michelle Fairley, Genevive O’Reilly and Janet McTeer"

    Front row tickets

    The Domnar hold back the very best seats in the house for their Barclays Front Row deal. Even if the show is sold out (which they invariably are), you can get front row seats for just £10. Tickets are released at 10am on Monday, starting two weeks before the show opens. If you want to bag a bargain you have to be quick and have the page loaded and ready to book. 

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