We take a look at what is being said about Nancy Farino’s debut play, performing at the Hampstead Theatre until the 29th November.
Broadway World: “Thorpe and Babayemi manage to deliver remarkable performances, even with their roles being steeped in cliches.”
The Arts Desk: “Jason Thorpe is completely convincing as the free-thinking Winston, whose compulsive positive thinking is clearly a cover for deep feelings of guilt as he realizes the consequences of his irresponsible behaviour. By contrast, Farino mixes a barely repressed anger at the psychological inheritance she has inherited with an open exasperation with the parent that complains about her vaping and whose music and life choices she questions. Her embrace of mythical ideas of freezing is a powerful metaphor for her state of mind. Finally, Shona Babayemi’s Claire is an attractive performance of a professional who fears she’s not up to the job. Farino’s writing, both delicately allusive and robustly real, shows great promise.”
WhatsOnStage: “Walker’s production, though, is consistently imaginative, with Debbie Duru’s stripped-back designs creating atmosphere with just a couple of chairs, a portable CD player, and Christopher Nairne’s misty lighting. Rebecca Wield’s movement direction controls time and place beautifully.”
All That Dazzles: “Nancy Farino’s playwriting debut shows a lot of promise in terms of thematic ideology, but unfortunately her talents either don’t translate fully or aren’t fully ready for a full-length production this time around. There is some wonderful humour to be found, and some genuine moments of reflection strengthen the performances immensely, but Fatherland feels too underbaked in placed, too unsure of how best to introduce its author’s themes, to truly succeed.”
London Theatre 1: “A highly observational play that glides through legal technicalities and family conflicts with equal effectiveness.”
London Unattached: “Fatherland’s major triumph is never diluting characters’ flaws for the sake of narrative resolution. It brings the dense histories of its leads to the fore without forcing them to confide in each other. It’s not about bending to neat conclusions. Instead, forms of affection – and great humour – grow despite emotional violence.”
The Spy in the Stalls: “Director Tessa Walker, movement director Rebecca Wield and the production team deserve an award for creating a mime about a converted coach so completely believable that you forget it isn’t actually real.”
The Stage: “Engaging road-trip debut drama tenderly charts a father-daughter relationship.”
British Theatre Guide: “There are very committed performances from Jason Thorpe as Winston and playwright Nancy Farino herself playing Joy. Sometimes, they are big, bold and noisy but also full of quirky details, like the way he takes his shoes off when in discussion with lawyer Claire, whom Shona Babayem plays as solidly in the real world, while she puffs escape on her vape or is showered by snow in a world where depression creates its own winter.”
Lou Reviews: “Farino and Thorpe have a superb rapport on stage. I dare say many parents watching Fatherland will recognise these arguments that the pair have and they try to understand each other and frustrations boil over.”
The Reviews Hub: “Nevertheless, Fatherland is finely acted, and Farino’s script is intelligent, never making too much of its literary references. Perhaps it’s a little too long – the lawyer’s interviews could reveal Winston’s trouble sooner – but it certainly feels authentic and offers a new way to look at parental responsibility.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2025/fatherland/