The Gathered Leaves at Park Theatre Review
Written by ZiWen Gong for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Ten years after its first appearance on stage, The Gathered Leaves, written by Andrew Keatley and directed by Adrian Noble, has returned to the Park Theatre. Once again, it brings the audience back to a middle-class family from the last century, where over the course of two hours and forty minutes, they experience both the pains and the subtle warmth of the Pennington family.
The entire story takes place over the course of a weekend, as the family reunites under one roof for the first time in seventeen years to celebrate William (Jonathan Hyde)’s seventy-fifth birthday. This gathering includes his eldest son, Samuel (Richard Stirling), who is autistic, his second son, Giles (Chris Larkin), who constantly takes care of the family, along with Giles’s wife Sophie (Zoë Waites) and their children (Ella Dale, George Lorimer). Also returning is the youngest daughter Alice (Olivia Vinall), who was cut off by William after he refused to acknowledge her partner, and her mixed-race daughter Aurelia (Taneetrah Porter). William is not the only one who has been waiting for this day; his wife, Olivia (Joanne Pearce), has longed for it as well. As their conversations unfold, the audience gradually learns more about the family’s past and begins to uncover a deeper reason behind this long-awaited gathering.
The stage (Dick Bird) is set in a very realistic way, resembling the living room of a family home. The light (Paul Pyant) filtering through the curtains adds to the authenticity of the setting. Music (Max Pappenheim) and dimmed lighting only become more prominent when highlighting a character’s emotional state in the moment. Beyond that, I also really appreciated the scene where the youngest daughter, Alice, plays Les Barricades Mistérieuses. As the calm yet slightly melancholic music fills the room, the family quietly gathers in the living room, silently watching her play. Only Olivia turns her head with concern to look at her two sons. This scene is undeniably beautiful.
All of the actors deliver outstanding performances. Hyde’s portrayal of William captures an old-fashioned and rigid mindset. He often wears a stern expression, yet deep down he longs to be close to his family. Pearce’s Olivia meets everyone with a sense of compassion. Perhaps no one else could handle William with such gentle understanding, though she constantly carries a quiet sense of worry. Stirling’s performance is especially nuanced. In the way he holds a book, the way he bounces as he walks, and even in his speaking rhythm, the audience can easily believe that Samuel is on the autism spectrum. There’s a unique sense of innocence and stubbornness in him that’s both authentic and touching. Larkin’s Giles comes across as a gentle peacemaker, but the emotional weight he carries from holding the family together, combined with his father’s lack of recognition, often pushes him into moments of frustration and anxiety. The bond between the two brothers is deeply affecting, it’s hard not to be swept up in their emotions. Waites’s portrayal of Sophie presents a character who is capable and direct in speech, yet with her own moments of vulnerability. Dale and Lorimer, playing her children, bring humour and brightness to the production. Vinall’s Alice enters the stage with the energy of the family’s youngest daughter, possessing an innate sensitivity and liveliness, and Aurelia, played by Porter, inherits this very character. Though their stage time is limited, Joe Burrell and Ellis Elijah as the younger versions of Samuel and Giles manage to make a strong impression within just a few minutes, making the audience care about their story. Their performances align seamlessly with the adult actors, making it easy to believe they are the same people at different points in time. It’s because each actor delivers such precise and thoughtful performances that the family as a whole feels so authentic.
The flow of information throughout the play feels incredibly natural. While no character is entirely free of flaws or weaknesses, a sense of warmth still manages to emerge from the surrounding chaos. Even though some elements are left unresolved by the end, such as the letter that is never read aloud or the gift that remains unopened, it feels right that these moments are simply left within the family. It is clear that many challenges will continue after the birthday gathering. William’s memory will continue to fade, and Giles will eventually separate from Sophie. Yet in that moment, much like the Easter chocolate egg given as a gesture of comfort between brothers or the piano that was never sold, both the characters and the audience are able to experience a quiet sense of warmth. And that, perhaps, is enough.
The Gathered Leaves runs at Park Theatre until 20th September 2025.
★★★★★
