We take a look at what is being said about Alexi Kaye Campbell’s new play.
The Guardian: *** “Still, the play has a delicate emotional power that takes hold slowly and has a lovely, strong, central performance from Dulau. It all takes place in the Evans’ Georgian household which is a pale blue wood-panelled space, designed by Sarah Beaton, on which several wall-less rooms (parlour, kitchen, study) revolve with each switching scene. “
London Theatre.co.uk: **** “he material wouldn’t land as well as it does, however, without the energy and drive of Dulau, whom we find at the end in the company of Eliot’s greatest creation, Dorothea from Middlemarch, who is brought fleetingly to life by a deliberately wispy Katie Eldred.”
The Standard: ** “Bird Grove is arguably worth seeing for Dulau’s subtle, nuanced performance, and for Teale, but they’re better than the material deserves.”
The Stage: *** “Alexi Kaye Campbell’s new drama about George Eliot is nicely crafted and vibrantly performed.”
Everything Theatre: *** “The play is about the promise of a nascent writer and an extraordinary thinker. But we only really see, in the final scene, a glimpse of this unusual and brilliantly creative woman. The rest is a slightly frothy back story. The farce and humour of the first half sit uncomfortably with Mary Ann’s decision to turn her back on the traditional and find a radical new path. Sadly, Bird Grove feels like it finishes where it should start.”
WhatsOnStage: *** “While I wouldn’t suggest Campbell should have reached the literary heights of Eliot, I would request a much tighter plot to distract from the lack of Eliot’s words, and perhaps a refocus on what really makes an interesting story, besides simply saying, that fairly ordinary girl is going to be extraordinary some time after this story ends.”
Time Out: *** “It’s not a radical or earthshaking show, but fans of stately period dramas with a feminist twinkle won’t go away disappointed. Teale is great and Dulau shows she can hold a stage as well as a screen. Its real strength, though, is its sweet and rare depiction of the beauty of a loving bond between a father and a daughter.”
The Reviews Hub: ** 1/2 “It’s a handsome production with a tasteful set by Sarah Beaton that recalls the melancholy interiors of Vilhelm Hammershøi and includes the lovely sight of snow falling from a vast window. There is appealing music and sound design by Harry Blake and Clara Pople. It’s all tightly directed by Anna Ledwich.”
Broadway World: *** “At the heart of the play, though, is the relationship between Mary Ann and her father (a brusque, wisecracking Owen Teale). Mr Evans is gruffly encouraging towards Mary Ann but also constrained by the economic reality of having an unmarried daughter in Victorian England; Elizabeth Dulau as Mary Ann gives a fine, understated performance as a young woman balancing love for her father with resistance to his most strongly held beliefs, particularly about religion.”
All That Dazzles: *** “Fronted by a strong turn from Elizabeth Dulau and a well-matched dynamic between her and Owen Teale, Bird Grove is an interesting and engaging look at life before George Eliot became George Eliot. Not everything quite comes together as intended but there is enough wit, charm, and talent on display to make for a well-spent evening, and to inspire those of us less widely read to consider Middlemarch as a future read.”
Theatre & Tonic: **** “A historical play with a modern message, Bird Grove is another successfully ambitious piece of new writing to feature in Hampstead Theatre’s programme.”
The Spy in the Stalls: **** “Elizabeth Dulau as Mary Ann is as bright and fresh as the country morning – perspicacious, revolutionary, chafing at the yoke and aching to meet her destiny. If Dulau wasn’t a star already – thanks to Andor – this performance would bring her to notice. She embodies the duel of duty and ambition but retains crystal clarity throughout.”
North West End: *** “It’s always cheering to see new writing, but the thrill of fresh work is usually thanks to new voices. Bird Grove is a high end, but cosy escape. That might be what some audiences want, but it’s not what theatre needs right now.”
London Theatre1: **** “An engaging and thoughtful show – and you need not have read a word of George Eliot’s novels to get your head around it.”
British Theatre Guide: “Director Anna Ledwich gets responsive and realistic performances from a strong cast, and though things are sometimes a little overworked, it can be very engaging, especially as Mary Ann tries to cope with things.”
Bird Grove continues to play at the Hampstead Theatre until the 21st March.