The Circle, Richmond Theatre Review

Pete Ashmore, Jane Asher and Clive Francis in The Circle, photo by Ellie Kurttz

Written by Bronagh for Theatre & Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.

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Somerset Maughan’s The Circle, first performed in 1921, follows the Champion-Cheney family as some important decisions need to be made and it looks like history may repeat itself as a result of this. A quaint little show, where the word ‘damn’ is considered a shock, which is a stark reminder of how different society was back in the day. 

We are in a very elegant country home, awaiting the arrival of Arnold Champion-Cheney’s mother and stepfather. Arnold’s mother, Lady Kitty, eloped with Lord Porteus and hasn’t been seen for many years. This is awkward due to the fact Arnol’s father, Clive Champion-Cheney has arrived back from a trip early and therefore will cross paths with his ex-wife. The real predicament of the show is that Arnold’s wife, Elizabeth, is considering doing the same with the dashing Mr Luton. The storyline is not a complex one, certainly helped by the small cast, and does veer towards the more unadventurous side. We can see the ending a mile off. This surely wouldn’t have been the case back in 1921, but in 2024 the script and jokes do fall rather flat at times. I feel like there are so many missed opportunities for old fashioned British humour throughout.

The performances are all good, making the most of the material they have. Lady Kitty, played by Jane Asher, in particular, feels like a caricature of a society woman with her lipstick concerns and bright outfits. Pete Ashmore is good as the prim Arnold, dealing with seeing his mother for the first time in years and a wife who wants to leave him. However, I unfortunately felt like we didn’t get to see the full extent of the cast’s talent due to the lack of adventure or character development. A little more adventure and British humour would have done the trick here.

The Circle is set in the drawing room of the country home, and very appropriate for the era. It wasn’t absolutely incredible but I thought it was quite comforting, reminding me of old films I’ve seen in the past. The costumes are nice enough, very of the time, and appropriate for the character. Elizabeth, played by Olivia Vinall, even wore trousers at one point in a nod to the changing fashions that emerged from the 1920s. 

The Circle is actually a fairly enjoyable watch and does what it says on the tin. It felt very fitting seeing it in Richmond, where you could well imagine a drawing room like the one we are presented with on The Green. At times absurd, at times bland, The Circle didn’t leave me wanting more but I was content with what I did see.

At Richmond Theatre until 24th February 2024.

☆ ☆ ☆