A revival of a mid century play sold out its entire preview week before opening night, and the producers have extended the booking period by three weeks in response to demand.
The production is the first major staging of the play in more than two decades. It runs without an interval at a little under two hours, a decision the director described as central to how the piece accumulates pressure.
The staging
The design places the action on a single raised platform with the audience seated on three sides. Set changes are handled by the cast in view of the audience, and the lighting carries most of the work of marking transitions between the play three time periods.
The revival restores a scene cut from the original production and from most subsequent stagings. The director said the cut had been made for length rather than content, and that its absence had obscured the motivation of one of the central characters.
The scene was removed because the evening ran long. Seventy years later that is not a good enough reason to keep it out.
Critics attending previews are embargoed until opening night. Early audience response has focused on the two lead performances, both of which involve substantial stretches of the play carried without dialogue.
The theatre has released a block of standing tickets at a reduced price for each performance, available on the day. A touring transfer is under discussion but has not been confirmed.
