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Searching undeterred: The Gift @ParkTheatre

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I recently had a few parcels go missing from where I live. The first parcel disappeared without a trace. The second parcel's contents were removed, and the box was left alone in the lobby. It's one of the things that you have to put up with living in central London. Apart from complaining to the delivery company and filing a police report, it crossed my mind to think about what would happen if I sent myself something rather unpleasant for a future parcel thief to open up. Well, Dave Florez's new work, The Gift, is in this line of thinking, except that the lead receives an anonymous gift of a turd in the mail rather than sending it to himself. It is lovingly gift-wrapped in a cake box from a posh north London bakery. It's a fascinating and hilarious three-hander currently playing at Park Theatre .  Colin (Nicholas Burns) is a little obsessive at the best of times. He doesn't let things drop quickly and is obsessed with the details behind anything and everythi...

Good farce: Good People

There is still time to catch David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People, which runs for another two weeks at the Noël Coward Theatre.

Margie, played by Imelda Staunton, is a sharp-tongued single-mother who has been fired from her job as a cashier for showing up at work late. Hearing that an old boyfriend who has made good is in town, she decides to corner him. But her plan brings unexpected consequences for her and the unsuspecting Mike (Lloyd Owen). Both must look to the past to re-examine the choices and secrets that brought them back together.


What could be a nasty, mean-spirited piece is made palatable by Imelda Staunton's performance. Her portrayal makes the desperation of her character realistic and human. And while the piece is predictable, the humour and warmth of the play make it a treat.

Lloyd Owen as the old flame proves to be more than a match for Staunton's strong performance as well and it is a delight to watch the two spar in the second half confrontation.

Good People originally premiered on Broadway in 2011 winning the New York Drama Desk Critic’s Circle Award for Best Play of the year. It runs until 14 June. Look for discounts at the usual outlets as well.

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Photo credits: Production photos by Manuel Harlan





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