A sharp memory hit me as I negotiated the narrow stairway leading to the Jermyn Street Theatre. My last visit in March 2020 was just prior to the first lockdown; artistic director Tom Littler delivered a clarion call for patrons’ support, but was quickly overshadowed by the so-called ‘new norm,’ That was 18 months ago, it feels much longer but it’s good to be back at one of the West End’s hidden gems. The theatre is pretty much as I left it; an intimate space that naturally allows the audience proximity with the performers. Their latest production is a revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s first big hit on the West End stage.
The author is, without doubt, a heavyweight of British theatre, having written 84 plays over a career spanning six decades. Forty have made it onto West End stage with a further ten appearing on Broadway; a glittering record that is complemented by a generous helping of Evening Standard, Oliver and Tony awards. Relatively Speaking is set up on a delightfully old fashioned premise, but works a treat thanks to the brilliantly constructed narrative and a highly talented cast. It throws together a heady mix of confusion, betrayal and mistaken identity that is hard to resist. With a hint of farce and twist of Ayckbourn magic, it becomes a thoroughly enjoyable piece.
