Home, I'm Darling - Duke of York's - ★★★★ - Until April 13, 2019


A gentler, simpler time? This play is not a 50's sitcom and neither was the era. At first, it is a little disorienting as we are not sure what time the play is set in, but that disorientation underlies the need that the past is serving for the main characters. This play explores a shared fantasy of a time that never was. In the light of Brexit, the focus on nostalgia as a retreat from the complexity of contemporary reality hits some hot political issues, offering insights into feminism, sexual harassment and the difficulty of building an authentic relationship true to the people involved, rather than conforming to the tales we are told and those we want to tell ourselves. The flashback at the beginning of the second act is somewhat awkward, but there is much to commend here. The costumes and sets are things of wonder in themselves, and they beautifully support and underline some nuanced performances. It would have been easy to reduce the character of Judy to two dimensions, but Katherine Parkinson subtly and cleverly avoids this trap. She and the rest of the fine cast bring to life this thought provoking work by Laura Wade which encourages us to re-evaluate the past through the eyes of the present and to inform the present by understanding the allure of the past.

 Reviewed by J.C.

  Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆ 

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WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until April 13, 2019
Mon - Sat: 7:30 pm, Wed - Sat: 2:30 pm
Duke of York's Theatre
Nearest tube: Leicester Square
http://duke-of-yorks.theatre-tickets.com/home-im-darling
Map & Location: St Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4BG, UK

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