We take a look at what is being said about Suzie Miller’s new play, running at the National Theatre until the 13th September.
WhatsOnStage: **** “Pike streaks out of the blocks with just the right blend of possessed energy and blindsiding anxiety. Shimmying expertly in and out of clothes and roles, swapping judges’ gowns for aprons for dinner party dresses, she addresses the audience, actors and her courtroom in quick succession without misstep.”
The Guardian: **** “As a lawyer turned playwright, Miller’s work has an ingrained advocacy – for years, she has used it to argue for social and legal justice. And one of the rare objections to Prima Facie’s script – the way its didactic dialogue impinged on the drama – could be upheld here. Determined to give every issue and angle a fair hearing, Inter Alia sheds its nimbleness and wit as it grapples with the serious stuff in its later stages, meaning the pace slows even as the confrontations become more heightened.”
London Theatre.co.uk: **** “Jessica’s dilemmas, and the play’s big, unanswerable questions, will stay with you long after you leave the theatre. This is a show that continues a vital conversation, and does so with empathy, care and burning conviction.”
The Upcoming: *** “Like Adolescence, Miller’s Inter Alia will resonate with parents haunted by the dread of familial catastrophe. If the play sparks broader discussions about the challenges of guiding a troubled generation toward respect and justice, its mission is commendable. Yet, ultimately, the evening feels somewhat like an extended, earnest lecture – one Pike valiantly delivers but from which she visibly tires. As tension mounts, the dialogue circles repetitively, losing its bite precisely when it ought to feel sharpest. Pike’s energy, heroic though it is, inevitably ebbs, leaving the audience reflecting deeply, yet with a lingering sense of exhaustion…”
The Daily Mail: **** “Increasingly uncomfortable to watch, just like Prima Facie it will keep the chattering classes chattering long into the night.”
London Theatre 1: **** “Rosamund Pike is a convincing tour de force, giving her central character a wide range of palpable emotions. A worthy and worthwhile experience: there’s even a bit of actor-musicianship to enjoy too.”
The Stage: ** “Rosamund Pike sparkles as a beleaguered judge in a clod-hopping feminism-lite drama.”
Radio Times: ***** “Combine a deeply raw and thought-provoking script with an outstanding performer like Rosamund Pike, and you’ve got an unmissable production. Inter Alia is a must-see.”
The Telegraph: **** “Inter Alia at the National is theatre’s gut-wrenching spin on Adolescence.”
The Independent: **** “The duo behind West End hit ‘Prima Facie’ reunite for another searing play about sexual assault and legal injustice.”
The Reviews Hub: ***** “Intelligent and gripping, Miller’s play is concerned with morality in the same way as Bernard Shaw’s The Doctor’s Dilemma, Major Barbara and St Joan. Under Justin Martin’s stellar direction, Inter Alia is a play for our time, with no easy answers.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/inter-alia/