The Sunset Limited, Boulevard Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until February 29, 2020

Photographer: Alastair Muir.

Two strangers meet in unusual circumstances and a wide-ranging dialogue ensues that examines the purpose and value of life itself. One of the interlocutors, White, (Jasper Britton) is an academic, atheist who does not believe in the value of existence. The other, Black, (Gary Beadle) is a reformed criminal who has found faith in the Bible and Jesus. He has renounced his previous life and abandoned material possessions in his new conviction that there is a spiritual reality and value inherent in humanity. Writer, Cormac McCarthy, is noted for his bleak vision of the human condition and the debate seems somewhat one-sided, but the discussion that we are invited to witness is both compelling and disturbing. McCarthy's strength as a playwright is that he can wring so much drama simply out of the power of his words. There is a minimal amount of action in the play recalling the work of Samuel Beckett who was a major influence on the author. However, the power of the piece can only be released by a superb cast and Beadle and Britton offer stellar performances that should not be missed. Both actors bring an authenticity and conviction to their parts that is simply enthralling. This challenging work is intentionally dark and troubling, but White asserts at one point that what has given him some meaning in the past is culture and art. This play and this production certainly qualify as both. You should not miss The Sunset Limited!

 Reviewed by J.C.

  Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆☆ 

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 WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until February 29, 2020
Mon - Sat: 7:30 pm, Thu & Sat: 2:30 pm
Boulevard Theatre
Nearest tube: Tottenham Court Road
https://boulevardtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/the-sunset-limited/
Map & Location: 6 Walker's Ct, Soho, London W1F 0BT, UK

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