We take a look at what is being said about Teresa Deevy’s 1937 play, revived by Jonathan Bank.
Broadway World: “Wife to James Whelan was the last in a long line of plays Deevy submitted to the Abbey, many of which shared this play’s preoccupation with identity forming and making one’s own choices in the face of societal pressure. This thoughtful production presents a strong case for revisiting these earlier works, too.
All That Dazzles: “Wife to James Whelan is a beautifully crafted production that demonstrates exactly why Teresa Deevy’s work has finally found the audience it always deserved. Rich, intelligent writing is matched by thoughtful direction, sensitive design and a cast delivering performances of remarkable depth and authenticity.”
Everything Theatre: “Wife to James Whelan is a thoughtful revival that offers a glimpse into small town lives shaped by pride, ambition and missed chances, and a reminder of why Deevy’s work deserves to be seen.”
The Stage: “Sensitive revival of Teresa Deevy’s neglected portrait of regret and longing in small-town Ireland.”
Lou Reviews: “Wife to James Whelan was perhaps too political and too ‘immoral’ for its 1930s audience to accept, but its depiction of resilient female characters and complex arguments is one we can easily accept now.”
Theatre & Tonic: “It is a delight to see Wife to John Whelan on stage after its rejection, which many believe was due to the political undertones and deviating from the conservatism of Ireland at the time. Whether we like it or not, theatre is political; it always has been and always will be. This is a stand out production, made up of a very talented and dedicated cast. Perhaps it is time for more of Deevy’s rejected works to be revisited and put on stages in London and beyond.”
The Reviews Hub: “Jonathan Bank’s production dials up the piece’s claustrophobic feel, though at times the Jermyn Street Theatre’s intimate space feels rather overcrowded, static, even, a feeling increased by, on press night, some decidedly ineffective air conditioning. The show blurb describes Deevy as ‘Ireland’s forgotten genius’. It is a generous description. Still, there is much to enjoy here in a welcome production that sometimes feels like a period piece, even if manifestly a very well-written one.”
London Theatre 1: “Wife to James Whelan, set in rural Ireland in the 1930s, presents situations and decisions that shape or break us, whether we live in big cities or were born into wealth. Troubled matters of the heart and reckless behaviours remain the same, no matter the year of our birth. See this thoughtful play as a profound expression of what it means to live and be without love in one’s lifetime.”
View from the Gods: “very cast-member is given their moment, and more. It’s a work mostly generous to its eight cast-members. With eddies of comedy and confrontation, shifting sympathies from Kate and Tom as well as Apollo, and the eruption of Bill, there’s a rich play living on in its own subconscious. It’s tempting to call this great. And it’s certainly a great production. It should transfer, though nothing can beat this space for delivery. Outstanding, a must-see if ever there was one.”
Reviewsgate: “Deevy had things to say about the plight of women in Irish society at the time and this revival is well worth catching but it is no forgotten masterwork. Bank’s Deevy Project to rescue her work has more to do. The cast, however, save the day.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk/show/wife-to-james-whelan/