Duke of York’s Theatre
Benedict Lombe‘s Shifters was a huge success from the fringe powerhouse that is the Bush Theatre and has now transferred to the West End. It’s a love story told in flashbacks about two people in Britain, one with Nigerian and the other Congolese heritages. We see their first love and follow them through breakups and reconciliation as their careers burgeon. At the Duke of York’s, some of the audience are on stage to recreate the traverse feel of the Bush production. The critics were universal in their 4 star reviews.
[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]
Tom Wicker writing for The Stage (4★) was one of the few reviewers to attend the West End transfer. He handed out plaudits to the author and the cast: ‘Her brilliant ear for the cadence of their changing lives, including the darker notes, is energising.’ ‘It’s funny, grounded in authenticity and blessed with a pair of leads whose charisma pulls you effortlessly into its bittersweet tenderness.’ He expanded on his praise for the two leads: ‘Heather Agyepong and Tosin Cole, both returning from the original production, make every line sing: they’re hugely funny, but teetering on the edge of heartbreak.’
Fiona Mountford in the i (4★) thought ‘the skill of Lombe and the entire Shifters team (was) to wear tender profundity deceptively lightly.’
Other reviews are from its run at the Bush Theatre.
Nick Curtis in The Standard (4★) called it ‘a pretty-much perfect, bittersweet modern rom-com’. He said, ‘Director Lynette Linton draws achingly subtle, detailed performances from her two leads, which showcase the fine grain of Lombe’s writing.’ Frey Kwa Hawking at WhatsOnStage (4★) declared, ‘It’s a play unafraid to take its time, unfolding with careful tenderness Des and Dre’s drifting apart and coming back together, the feeling of ineffability to them, what happens when it seems to stutter.’
Donald Hutera writing for The Times (4★) was impressed by the two leads, ‘They embody two unpretentiously articulate, passionate, complicated and vulnerable people ineluctably drawn towards each other even when they appear to be most in opposition. Des and Dre’s romance unfolds in a splintered fashion that nevertheless feels satisfying, believable and whole.‘ He ended, ‘Lombe’s touching, emotionally intelligent and contemporary black British love story is itself easy to fall in love with.‘
The Guardian’s Arifa Akbar (4★) said it had ‘real heart, soul and the everyday tragedy of long-lost first loves.’ She observed, ‘Directed by Lynette Linton, the pace at first feels meditative, and this allows the romance to fire up from its depths.’ Anya Ryan for Time Out (4★) said, ‘Lombe is a beautiful, nuanced and soulful writer and this is a romance overflowing with heart.’ She noted, ‘Alex Berry’s set is largely bare but decorated with luminous strip lights that look like lightning bolts and flash in different colours to show a change in the timeline. Standing among them, the actors look like they are part of something astronomical.’
Abbie Grundy for BroadwayWorld (4★) thought ‘Shifters is strongest at its most comedic. It’s here where the audiences fall in love with the characters.‘ and went on to say, ‘Shifters is a poignant piece of theatre. It’s the kind of love story you cannot help but root for and the soul connection many crave, elevated by sharp direction from Lynette Linton and undeniable chemistry from the performers.’ Aleks Sierz, taking a seat at TheArts Desk (4 ), said it was ‘exquisitely written and beautifully acted’.
Kirsten Grant, reviewing for the Telegraph (4★), said, ‘Lombe’s writing, suffused with wit and warmth, is exquisitely poetic at times. She’s at her best in those early scenes where the sharp, quick-fire verbal jousting between Cole’s Dre and Agyepong’s Des fizzes and snaps while revealing something deeper bubbling underneath.’ She was slightly more reserved than some in her praise: ‘At the heart of this drama is the connection between the two leads, at once electric and sweetly endearing. It’s a promising work from an up-and-comer still honing her craft.’
In The Stage‘s (4★) review of the Bush presentation, Holly O’Mahoney said, ‘Lombe delivers a tender, cosmic and cleverly unpredictable love story that will leave you wishing for a sequel.’
Critics’ Average Rating 4.0★
Value rating 62 (Value rating is the Average Critic Rating divided by the typical ticket price.)
Shifters can be seen at the Duke of York’s Theatre until 12 October 2024. Click here to buy tickets from the theatre
If you’ve seen Shifters at the Bush Theatre or the Duke of York’s, please add your review and rating below