Till The Stars Come Down at Theatre Royal, Haymarket

I first saw Till The Stars Come Down by Beth Steel at The Dorfman. I watched it on the last weekend where I'd managed to buy a single ticket, in, possibly, one of the worst seats in the house! I'm usually better organised when buying tickets at The National Theatre but this one had slipped through my fingers.

Despite the frustration of having a head in front of me blocking my view half of the time, I was still totally rapt throughout. It's exciting writing, refreshing to hear new voices on stage and a poignant story. Therefore, I was absolutely delighted to be invited to see the show again and to review it on behalf of 1883 Magazine. 

It still hits the spot - hilarious and thought-provoking in equal measure. I missed the intimacy of the setting in The Dorfman, but that's a minor niggle rather than a complaint so if you do go and see it (and I recommend you do), then try to get one of the on-stage seats where you will get to experience that better than from a seat further away. 

Recommended. Booking until 27 September.

My full review is over on 1883 Magazine. Show seen on 11 July 2025. Thank you to the PR for the complimentary tickets.

Dear Octopus at The National Theatre. Lyttelton Stage

Dear Octopus is a play by Dodie Smith who also wrote 'I Capture the Castle' and more famously, co-wrote '101 Dalmatians'. It's a gentle comedy with melancholic undertones highlighting one family's life just before World War 2. I watched it at The National Theatre on Thursday 7 March 2024.

The family is gathered for the Golden Wedding Anniversary of the matriarch Dora (Lindsay Duncan) and her long-suffering, but long-loving husband, Charles. Dora is overseeing every detail of the anniversary weekend, and in doing so, we meet her staff (nanny, maid and companion), children and their progeny (it was refreshing to see young children playing a prominent role in a play). Their characters and personal stories unfold at a gentle pace as the weekend progresses and as each family member arrives. 

It feels more filmic in style due to the slower pace, and I did find it dragged a bit in places. Others around me didn't seem to feel that way so that might just be me! The pace is likely a deliberate choice to contrast with our current fast-paced life vs how it might have been back then (although that may just be a nostalgia-tinted lens). 

The morals and themes in the story are still relevant today, despite it being a period piece in many respects. Emotions are revealed, some intense and some but not all resolved. The ties that bind are loose, perhaps strained but still evident. 

It's a solid, ensemble piece where everyone gets their chance to shine. The set is stunning and the costumes really evoke the style of the era perfectly. 

I found the lighting challenging, though. It's deliberately low-lit which evokes the period well but can be a strain on the viewer's eyes, especially when that's using LEDs (and there's no choice on that these days), Even a smidge more light might relieve that and I'd be interested in research about lighting levels in theatre and eyestrain but that's a conversation for another day. 

It's not the best thing I've seen at The National in the last few months, but it's definitely worth a watch. Think of it like a middle-class version of Brideshead Revisited, scaled down to a large family home on a single weekend rather than a stately home over a period of years. 

I came away feeling rather wistful but also sated having seen something completely different to my usual TV or theatre viewing.

More information about the production including cast and creatives and a photo gallery: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/dear-octopus/