Set largely in the cluttered attic of writer Hans Christian Andersen, this 90 minute world premiere by Martin McDonagh has split opinion of audiences at the Bridge; and it’s clear to see why.
On the one hand the cast are good with Jim Broadbent and Phil Daniels giving strong performances as Anderson and Dickens respectively. Newcomer Johnetta Eula’Mae Ackles also shines as captive ghost writer Majory in this, her professional debut. The first scene between Anderson and Charles Dickens (repeatedly referred to as Charles Darwin) is a comedic highlight and Jim Broadbent really does carry this show.
The set design by Anna Fleischle is exquisite; full of intrigue and intricacies and gave hope to a play really creating a world and setting. In truth though, the design seemed a complete waste and the utter mess of the script really let the design and actors down.
With the writing, there was no clear time or place both in the story or language used and this really jarred with the design and costume. There was nothing clever or sophisticated about the text or the direction and all the elements of the production felt very disjointed.
