Alistair McDowell’s new play has officially opened at the Royal Court Theatre – but what have critics made of it?
The Telegraph: **** Dominic Cavendish said: “McDowall has created a new genre, sly-fi: you make dismissive assumptions about what you’re watching at your peril.”
The Guardian: *** Michael Billington thought that: “For all McDowall’s acclaimed originality, he is actually a writer who has shopped around a lot.”
The Stage: ***** Tom Wicker was enthusiastic saying: “X is a play that will gnaw away at you. It’s sci-fi – and theatre – at its best.”
London Theatre.co.uk: * Mark Shenton was disappointed in the play saying that: “One thing I can say for it: the play’s title provides its own star rating.”
The Reviews Hub:**** (and a half)Maryam Philpott praised the production describing it as: “a masterclass in the building of suspense and the slow unveiling of character.”
Time Out:****Andrzej Lukowski summed up the production by saying: “clearly ’X’ is a play about disintegration and endings; the end of life, the end of memory, the end of technology, the end of civilisation, the end of maths. It also looks really cool. Space: the final frontier and a neato metaphor for the human mind.”
Theatre Cat: *** “this is full-on, trad dystopian sci-fi with a rising edge of psychosis and alienation.”
WhatsOnStage:*** Matt Trueman commented that: ” For all I admire the concept and daring, I was left thinking: Y?”
The Upcoming:**** Alexandra Newson wrote: “Time-bending, mesmerising and darkly funny, X asks what it means to be human, and to be alone in the universe.”
London Theatre 1: *** Patsy Trench found: “It is certainly bold, and original, and the performances are excellent. It is also baffling and slow, and rather long.”
Monkey Matters Theatre: “X is a play that bristles with possibility and often appears profound, but doesn’t engage and feels incomplete.”
There Ought to Be Clowns: “Perhaps predictably, X is a curious, slippery beast that wilfully toys with notions of audience satisfaction.”
She Sees Shows: “There’s some really good writing – witty, sharp and interesting. The performances are engaging and there’s plenty of intrigue as the evening progresses.”
British Theatre Guide: “Looked at in retrospect, X makes some worthwhile observations about a challenging subject. Therefore ideally you would need to see it twice to make the most of the experience.”
Evening Standard: Henry Hitchings commented: “The result is a slippery, challenging piece that is guaranteed to divide audiences.”
The Financial Times:**** Suzi Feay found that: “In the end, X is a piece to be experienced rather than analysed. Go with it, and you’ll be treated to some chilling and thrilling moments of existential dread.”
X appears at the Royal Court Theatre until the 7th May. For more information and to book tickets visit: http://www.royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/xtheplay/?tab=0.