Trafalgar Theatre
The Duchess (of Malfi) is, at the time of writing, the Worst Value West End Show in our listing. Only Shrek The Musical has received worst reviews so far this year. The return of Jodie Whittaker to the stage, after a sojourn in Doctor Who and other screen projects, was largely welcomed. Unfortunately Zinnie Harris‘s adaptation of Webster’s Jacobean horror story was condemned by all but the Telegraph, with The Times awarding just one star.
[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]
Let’s start with the good news. Kirsten Grant for the Telegraph (4★) liked it: ‘Whittaker proves more than up to the challenge with an enthrallingly layered take on the formidable Duchess.’ She went further, ‘Whittaker and this superb ensemble are surely reason enough to pay the Trafalgar a visit.’ If that weren’t incentive enough, she also said, ‘Harris pulls off a pacy, intense production.’
While conceding ‘it’s undeniably thrilling to see Whittaker on stage again,’ Nick Curtis of the Standard (3★) was unenthusiastic about the production: ‘Harris’s adaptation only comes into its own in the second half. Throughout the first, I wondered what the point was.’
Theo Bosanquet at WhatsOnStage (3★) made similar points. Not a fan of the adaptation, he concentrated on the cast: ‘The performances, however, are impressive …Whittaker in particular reminds us why she’s been such a miss these past dozen years…She has tremendous poise as well as a sense of searing intelligence, repelling her brothers’ early attacks with sheer charisma. Although this may not be the best use of her talents, it’s great to have her back on stage.’
The Observer‘s Susannah Clapp (2★) was blunt in her criticism: ‘Zinnie Harris’s updated version of John Webster’s 1613 tragedy…is a muddle’ and ‘Against Tom Piper’s design of white metal walkways and staircase – a cross between prison and a chic art gallery brightly lit by Ben Ormerod – the generally feeble acting is cruelly exposed: when the men aren’t yelling they are faltering.’
Fiona Mountford in the i (2★) was just as savage: ‘Whittaker gives a powerful and passionate performance, but she faces an insurmountable challenge as Harris’s reworking makes less and less sense as it proceeds.’
Arifa Akbar of The Guardian (2★) called it ‘too much of a melange of tone and ideas’. She continued, ‘The performances are powerful but the setup feels so overbearingly orchestrated that you do not feel the characters’ passion or anger.’
‘This production is fatally lacking in tragic richness and weight,’ said Alice Saville in The Independent (2★). She noted, ‘Harris directs as well as adapts, using an overspilling ragbag of strategies borrowed from European directors’ theatre. Stark lighting. Ear-splitting judders of sound. A few times, characters step up to the microphone to sing out their inner lives…but the device feels both hackneyed and underused.’
Dave Fargnoli in The Stage (2★) was slightly more forgiving: ‘Though the production feels muddled, Harris makes sharp points about the corrosive effects of toxic masculinity.’
The worst reaction of all came from The Times’ Clive Davis who awarded a rare 1★. He described watching Jodie Whittaker ‘stumble through a dismal reworking of John Webster’s Jacobean tragedy. The writer-director Zinnie Harris throws a boxful of half-shaped ideas at the audience and leaves the actors looking horribly exposed. Long stretches feel like a rehearsal from a student production.’
Critics’ Average Rating 2.3★
Value Rating 23 (Value rating is the Average Critic Rating divided by the typical ticket price)
The Duchess (of Malfi) is at the Trafalgar Theatre, London, until 20 December 2024. Buy tickets directly from the theatre
If you’ve seen The Duchess at the Trafalgar Theatre, please add your review and rating below
I saw it and thoroughly enjoyed it, as did the rest of the audience, who gave this a standing ovation.
I find the tone of the reviews grim – it reads like a massive pile-on. For my sanity, I returned to the reviews from Edinburgh, where it received 4* and 5*, and matched the play I saw at the Trafalgar.
The reviewers, in their rush to play in the same pond, have probably ruined a wonderful but challenging show. Shame.
Jodie Whittaker’s talent was seriously let down by the script and production. Complete mash up of ideas with no direction. Would probably have been better sticking to Webster’s original script.