Take a look at what is being said about Winsome Pinnock’s drama, playing at the Dorfman Theatre until the 9th May.
The Guardian: **** “It all courses along with a lightness of touch that works. What a disarming way to serve up important contemporary questions around investigating histories, facing up to toxic legacies and atoning – or at the very least apologising – for them.”
The Stage: *** “Winsome Pinnock’s new play is a witty and thought-provoking gothic take on confronting the UK’s history of enslavement.”
The Arts Desk: *** “Cromwell’s production has an affectionate energy which, however, cannot disguise the fact that 90 minutes is, once again, not enough time to develop the themes of this show, many of which are introduced with little subtlety.”
WhatsOnStage: *** “Billed as a “gothic psychological thriller”, there are moments of comedy, drama and real pathos, alongside some investigative scenes that feel a bit Scooby Doo in tone. There’s much to enjoy in this production, but it needs to be more focused to authenticate its own identity.”
The Reviews Hub: **** “Laughs and haunted-house shocks may seem like unlikely bedfellows in a story that challenges not only how we are to think about the money behind some of the great stately homes of England, but also how even the recontextualisation of history can only come from chamfering off some of its uncomfortable edges. And yet, it is this awkward juxtaposition that becomes The Authenticator’s true strength. Offering hilarity and jump scares is a great way to distract us, allowing deeper truths to sidle into our heads when we least expect them.”
London Theatre.co.uk: *** “Race plays aren’t often comedies for obvious reasons. It’s not easy to confront — in this case — slavery with humour. In her previous play Rockets and Blue Lights, playwright Winsome Pinnock explored more seriously the task of contemporary Black Britons to reconcile with some of the darkest chapters of their country’s past. Here, she teams up again with director Miranda Cromwell to put more characters through the wringer with it, only this time with tongue-in-cheek wit. And the laughs do land in this outlandish story of two Black British historians who talk their way into a job authenticating the records of a former white Jamaican plantation owner, but perhaps because it’s all played so lightly, it’s unclear what it’s looking to say.”
The Standard: *** “Cromwell’s production has a hectic energy designed to carry us over the flaws. The Authenticator packs a lot into less than 90 minutes. But, perhaps aptly for a play about disputed history, it feels like quite a lot is skimmed over, simplified, or just left out.”
All That Dazzles: **** “It is always wonderful to see new writing on stage, particularly when it comes from someone as reliable and acclaimed as Winsome Pinnock. The Authenticator matches her usual standard, in a play packed with a multitude of themes, delivered by an outstanding cast of three.”
London Theatre 1: **** “It’s all very convincing, and a decent, wholesome, satisfying experience.”
Time Out: *** “Still, whatever contrivances there may be to get there, the questions The Authenticator asks are salient enough to justify it all, and it’s an enjoyable – if bumpy – ride to get some answers.”
North West End UK: “Despite a few irregularities within the prose, Winsome Pinnock’sThe Authenticator is an ‘illuminating’ and thought-provoking play. It invites the audience to question how history is shaped and which voices are given prominence, ultimately leaving behind a lingering sense of discomfort that feels both deliberate and impactful.”
Broadway World: **** “This is not quite the gothic thriller it promises. But as a tense, talky, quietly incendiary three-hander about race, legacy and intellectual power, it cuts deeper than any jump scare.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/the-authenticator/