Discover how critics have been reacting to Jack Bradfield’s debut play focusing on the world of Dungeons and Dragons.
WhatsOnStage: *** “Bradfield should be commended for shining a spotlight on a gaming subculture that has far more influence and artistry than is often acknowledged. And the final encounter with The Nightmare King, with Dennis dusting off his LARP (live action role-playing) dressing-up box, is pure joy. I look forward to his next adventure.”
The Guardian: ** “Structured around their games, this is a great idea for a play that does not quite achieve the right balance between reality and fantasy. As someone with no understanding of D&D, the mechanics of the game and rules of play were confusing for me at times.”
Broadway World: **** “The jokes are solid, tongue-in-cheek and delightfully meta in their self-referential nature and the emotional angle is well-curated in its development. Sure, it could act as an introduction to the D&D uninitiated and an endorsement to the players, but, ultimately, it’s just bloody good theatre.”
The Stage: **** “Gentle, heart-warming story about the power of fantasy, escapism and collective storytelling to build empathy and process grief.”
The Arts Desk: **** “Bradfield’s writing has an appealing energy and his subject is original and thought-provoking. He clearly and crisply portrays the world of goblins, dwarves and wizards and shows how chance, here dependent on the roll of a 20-sided dice, can affect your life choices.”
Rev Stan’s Theatre Blog: **** “The Habits is about trying not to confront that which is painful and difficult, but it does it with humour and pathos”
London Unattached: “After 90 minutes, I certainly felt I had learned quite a bit about fantasy role play and its ability to connect people and to both protect people from feeling overwhelmed by the real world while providing space to process some of the experiences that life has thrown at them.”
Theatre & Tonic: **** “Strong performances from the cast, especially from Ruby Stokes (Jess) and Jamie Bisping (Milo) helped to build upon the world of the Nightmare Kingdom, bouncing off each other nicely to demonstrate the relationship dynamics of the characters outside of the game.”
Fairy Powered Productions: **** “The cast are fantastic and Ed Madden’s production dances along with heart and humour.”
The Reviews Hub: “The build-up throughout the play works well, such that the final climactic showdown carries emotional heft even as the dice keep rolling to determine the outcome. Max Pappenheim’s sound design, which started the play with the over-the-top pomposity of a fantasy-inspired score, works well to evoke the underground caverns the clan of warriors struggle through. And if the allegory in the campaign occasionally feels too obvious, the six-strong cast sells the hell out of it.”
London Theatre 1: **** “Backstories galore give each character sufficient backbone, and while it’s a fairly longitudinal story, it’s a blessed relief to come across a new play that doesn’t bounce back and forth timewise, allowing the story to unfold in forward chronological order. Even a plea to ‘rewind’ (in the context of D&D) is summarily rejected by Jess, which was probably my favourite moment in the show. An intriguing look into both roleplay fantasies and the harsh reality of dealing with loss and bereavement, this was a remarkably enjoyable experience.”
The Spy in the Stalls: ***** “Ed Madden’s direction conjures the epic scale of their quests using the merest of ingredients, escalating the stakes with epic music and costume. With only a simple set – table, chairs – he takes us on a journey to a dark castle, and into broken hearts.”
Theatre Vibe: “Hampstead Theatre continues to champion new and intriguing productions, with varying degrees of success. In this case, The Habits feels perfectly suited to the venue. Its humour never falters, and judging by the audience’s reaction, it’s an undeniable hit.”
The play continues to run at the Hampstead Theatre until the 5th April.