★ ★.5

Reviewer - Eleanor

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review

A Critical Stage gives a window into the life of James Agate (Jeremy Booth), a theatre critic for the Sunday Times who is treading a delicate line between behaving as he sees fit and maintaining his influence. Alongside him are Austrian pianist and long-suffering secretary Leo (David Acton), who has his own journey overcoming the terror of his past. Rounding off the main ensemble is Gwen (Barbara Wilshere), introduced as an actor scorned by Agate but later shown to have a more complex relationship with him. We are also introduced to Smike (Sam Hill), the general manservant of the household and another criticisable figure for Agate.

Directed and written by Gareth Armstrong with John Griffiths as the Associate Director, this play (although a new work) is based on real-life events. James Agate was a prominent theatre critic between both World Wars, following his service in the First World War. As a critic for theatre, film and literary works, he was well renowned and well respected - even appearing in one of the first episodes of the BBC’s Desert Island Discs. Following his death he left behind numerous diaries, from which this story has been loosely based.

I went into this production with only a brief overview of the story and its roots in truth. But the premise intrigued me and I was excited to revisit the intimate space of the Theatre at the Tabard. As I left, I recalled (as is mentioned in the play) how Agate’s own work for the stage divided opinion, and I believe this show may do the same. For some, there are key aspects with the pacing and setting which limit enjoyment, but for others, this will be an authentic representation of past Britain which highlights deeper themes of inclusivity and friendship.

“A war, a scandal and a bad review…”

A Critical Stage starts dramatically with a sudden start and a great deal of laughter from the audience. The plot itself then tries to begin slowly but surely, but the momentum it begins with becomes stunted soon after. Similarly, although the first half ends rather dramatically, the second act continues in the same vein as the first.

A sense of place is established very quickly, from the music playing in the theatre to the staging, props and costumes used throughout the play. Although the costumes remain fairly similar for each character throughout, this works well and adds to the story. I particularly enjoyed how Leo’s clothing became more elaborate as he borrows more items from Agate throughout the play. This then culminates in a more dramatic change in his attire at the show’s climax.

The staging of A Critical Stage remains static throughout; all the action occurs within the same four walls of Agate’s study. The actors use the depth of the stage well, with some movement throughout scenes to maintain interest for the audience. But even some small, subtle changes in the set would have made a surmountable difference. There were times when the pacing slowed dramatically, with the extended and sometimes repetitively paced dialogue becoming hard to remain engaged with. Although some of the character monologues felt emotive and almost powerful, others, unfortunately, failed to land.

Most of the plot hangs on the interpersonal relationships between a few central characters. The most believable of these are Agate and Leo. The mocking and joking within their relationship allude to hidden depths, some linked to their shared experiences as gay men. These are enjoyable to see develop but I would have enjoyed this more if a few kind words were actually shared between the two men. Similarly, the relationships between Smike & Agate and Agate & Gwen could certainly have been expanded on. Many of the scenes with these characters are more expositional and are focused on giving the audience more information rather than developing their relationships. But overall, I enjoyed every performance here; David Acton as Leo is the character you end up connecting with most strongly. He is arguably the only character with an arc and an emotional journey you can really latch on to, and this journey is acted wonderfully. Barbara Wilshere as Gwen really grew on me as the play progressed. She was not just a jaded actress, as you would presume from A Critical Stage’s tagline, but a loyal and caring friend. By the end, you just want to applaud as she deals some home truths to Agate directly. And in retaliation, Jeremy Booth as James Agate shares his critical eye with believable conviction and his damning opinions, which come out in violent bursts, are timed well. You are never in doubt that there is heart behind his actions. Sam Hill as Smike does well with the notably smaller amount of dialogue he is given. His acting is subtle, convincing and enjoyable. Overall, this ensemble complements each other perfectly.

The play ends with a key turning point for our main pairing; a revelation as to Agate's sensitivities and a deserved breakthrough for Leo, both of which are pleasing to see. The play soon concludes on a quiet yet joyful note.

A Critical Stage started strong but laughs garnered at the beginning of Act 1 reduced to titters quite quickly. As much of the interest within the story occurs off stage I found myself willing the story to take a sudden turn. The way that different scenes would play out quite similarly could become repetitive at times, and the static set did little to eliminate this feeling. Mention of the war throughout gives a sense of its impact without overwhelming the story and Leo’s past in particular is handled gently. The constant name-dropping of figures such as Noel Coward and Lord Byron quickly gives you a sense of Agate’s motivations from the very beginning: someone who is forthright in sticking to their opinions if it means they will be remembered. But we also slowly become aware of his softer side and it is a shame that this is not explored particularly deeply. There are a fair number of highlights peppered through A Critical Stage and the show is well cast but I was continually waiting for some greater interest to take place on stage. But undoubtedly some may find more emotion in it than I did and find greater enjoyment in this style of show.