We round up the reviews for Nick Payne‘s play directed by James Haddrell.
The Guardian: *** “what lifts it are two beautiful central performances. Bradley and White bring sweetness and vulnerability to the wartime hotel room, brittleness to the couple’s next meeting and finally tenderness to the challenging ending in which they are elderly.”
London Pub Theatres Magazine: **** “This is impressive, compelling theatre and well worth catching. It is good moreover to see Greenwich Theatre getting out and about. This is the first show to be staged anywhere other than at its home venue.”
All That Dazzles: **** “Sweet and charming for the most part, its incredibly romantic beginning paves way to more tragic circumstances in a play that makes you understand and appreciate the fragility and fleeting nature of life. I left the theatre feeling incredibly moved by what I had just seen – though it might have been more of a sorrowful feeling, the fact that this production penetrates your very soul is a testament to the brilliance of it.”
Everything Theatre: **** “Payne once again impeccably brings the human experience to the stage, with poise and emotional gut punches aplenty.”
A Young (ish) Perspective: *** “All in all, “One Day When We Were Young” is a low-thrills rendition of Nick Payne’s writing style on display, brought to the finish line by two incredible actors.”
theatre.revstan.com: ** 1/2 “One Day When We Were Young starts with declarations of devotion, but what follows is fumbling and strangely emotionless. It is an interesting premise which doesn’t really deliver on its promises.”
London Theatre 1: *** “The production values are quite decent – Pollyanna Elston’s set transforms from scene to scene to give each time period a distinctive look and feel, and Aidan Good’s sound design ensures, albeit with a lack of subtlety, background noises that one might reasonably expect. But there’s something about a much older Leonard and Violet limping and shuffling about in the final scene that serves as a metaphor for a show that would have been more engaging if only it had progressed considerably faster.”
The Spy in the Stalls: *** “A very British tale of love lost during the second world war years. One Day When We Were Young shows how we Brits have an inability to show emotions and to say what truly should not be left unsaid. The script doesn’t fill in those complex undertones, so feels a tad unfinished. In the final scene, Violet’s rendition of “their song” is sung without Leonard present, which seems an odd directorial decision by director James Haddrell – as that could have shown each of their true feelings in that moment.”
The Arts Desk: **** “The miracle of Payne’s play is that it answers that question without a shred of sentimentality. The two actors lead us through these two mismatched lives in touching, delicate performances, subtly adjusting their body language to their new ages, White transforming into a 70-something old man in a cardie with stiff limbs and a habit of rubbing his ear and nose, Bradley into a slowly shuffling woman wearing glasses on a chain.”
The Reviews Hub: ** “It’s a shame that the bookended scenarios lack any of that drive, and Haddrell’s revival fails to inject any renewed vigour in these unsatisfying and unrevealing conversations. Too many loose ends and unspoken emotions intend to offer tragedy and comment on missed opportunity but the play feels too drawn out with too little substance to make us invest in the supposed lifetime love of two people who would rather talk about Jaffa Cakes, stairlifts and queues to buy chocolate than any of the massive events they face.”
Adventures in Theatreland: *** “One Day When We Were Young has several excellent and stand out features, whether it be the creative design, the performances, the story or even the writing, yet it doesn’t quite leave the emotional impact that it tries to. Regardless, it’s a gorgeous piece of theatre with a heart breaking commentary on humanity especially during wartime.”
West End Best Friend: *** “One Day When We Were Young is a poignant exploration of love and the passage of time, enriched by honest performances and thoughtful writing. While not every question finds an answer, the play leaves a lasting impression with its delicate portrayal of what might have been.”
British Theatre Guide: “Romantic dreams come face to face with reality, all made touchingly moving by the sincere performances of Cassie Bradley as Violet and Barney White as Leonard. Payne’s dialogue is full of embarrassments and banalities, but so much is going on between the words, and director James Haddrell has given his actors full rein to imbue silence with meaning.”
North West End.com: *** “Despite the ultimate lack of pay off in its plot, this production is well lit by Henry Slater, particularly in its first third, when its every element is at its most enticing. Bradley and White both expend considerable effort in establishing the chemistry between their characters that audiences have to cling to throughout the remaining hour of stage time. “Trembling with tenderness lips that would kiss form prayers to broken stone” that stone faced audiences cannot answer.”
The Stage: *** “Strong performances bring heart to Nick Payne’s pensive, sluggish study of love and loneliness.”
Broadway World: ** “Nick Payne’s 2011 play premiered just before his smash hit, Constellations, and you can see structural and thematic elements shared between them. Both two-handers, both tracking a relationship over time, both poignant in how hard it is to deal with what life throws at you. But there are key differences too.”
To book tickets visit: https://parktheatre.co.uk/event/one-day-when-we-were-young/