The production starring Brian Cox, continues to play in the West End until the 26th April.
WhatsOnStage: *** “But this play has a trick up its sleeve: its Bach is Brian Cox (perhaps best known as Succession’s Logan Roy) and he is mesmerising. So much so that any aimless spots or protracted scenes just feel like extra opportunities to watch him at work.”
The Standard: *** ” Robert Jones’s designs – austere simplicity in Bach’s humble home, gold and gilt in the Potsdam palace – would be a constant reminder that this is a big old play about big old stuff – music, art, beauty, justice etc – and it’s dutifully big and old and stuffy. And once the enjoyably crotchety showdown between Bach and Frederick is over, the piece runs out of puff, a slow fade out on a play which is all Bach and little bite.”
All That Dazzles: *** “Feeling like a work in progress but one that is far from finished, The Score has plenty of potential but is not the best version of itself as yet. Though the writing shows moments of genius and the leading performance from Brian Cox is as exemplary as you would hope, not all of the elements work in harmony.”
London Theatre.co.uk: *** “There are some fine performances among the 14-strong ensemble, notably Wilkes’s skittish Carl, who places a wager on his father’s talents to clear his debts, and Hagan’s frustrated Frederick, himself a captive of societal convention. There’s also a moving turn from Juliet Garricks as Emilia, a servant in Frederick’s court whose young son has been killed on the battlefield. But it’s Cox’s impassioned, emotionally wrought portrayal of fading genius that shines brightest.”
The Arts Desk: ** “Missed opportunity to create a rich drama from this intriguing historical encounter.”
Time Out: *** “The Score is solid enough commercial entertainment, but really it’s a second tier show built around one top tier cast member.”
London Unattached: **** “Trevor Nunn’s direction of The Score strikes a fine balance between the narrative and the bigger ideas at play here. Set Designer Robert Jones has created a simply staged series of sets with era-appropriate furnishings and musical instruments, which are dropped or wheeled in and out at high speed as needed. With Imperial expansionism, powerful charismatic rulers and the way artists have to navigate those spaces very much back on our political radar, the themes of the play couldn’t be more current. This is a satisfyingly old-fashioned production in many ways of a play that ruthlessly interrogates the value of the new. It makes for a wonderful evening of theatre.”
Theatre Weekly: **** “Trevor Nunn’s direction ensures that every element of the production serves the story. The staging is suitably period if functional, with Robert Jones’ set design evoking the grandeur of Frederick’s court while allowing for intimate moments of character interaction. The lighting by Johanna Town shifts seamlessly between opulence and shadow, reflecting the play’s themes of enlightenment and conflict.”
The Reviews Hub: *** 1/2 “Bach argues that music emerges from divine intervention, even when it comes into the head of a non-believer such as Frederick. This belief provides the play with one of its central theses, the other being the morality of war and oppression. In this, Frederick can be seen as an arrogant autocrat who compares with certain modern-day figures, but, otherwise, the play is little more than a dip into history, imperfect yet nonetheless entertaining.”
The Spy in the Stalls: *** 1/2 “Cox, booming yet nuanced, is at a canter to reach the next cutting quip. Professional discipline dictates that he cannot yield to an obvious urge to eyeroll at the audience for another bite at the comedy cherry.”
West End Best Friend: **** “At its core, The Score is not just about music—it’s about the meaning behind it. The play delves into profound questions: What is music’s true purpose? Does it exist for beauty, power, or something greater? Seeing one of history’s greatest composers grapple with these ideas makes for a thought-provoking experience, leaving audiences with a fresh perspective on the music they hear.”
The Stage: **** “Trevor Nunn directs a lively period piece starring Brian Cox as JS Bach at Theatre Royal Haymarket, London.”
Theatre Cat: ” Oliver Cotton’s play was a long time in creation, but Trevor Nunn’s elegant production could hardly have fallen on a sharper moment for such a scene.”
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