Review: Even These Things (Royal Exchange)

Review by Jack McCabe

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In its 50th year, Manchester’s Royal Exchange is celebrating a homecoming season, with each production rooted in the city and the people who shape it and call it home. Rory Mullarey’s Even These Things is set in Manchester and follows three interconnected stories across three centuries, 1846, 1996, and 2026, exploring themes of history, grief, love, and what Manchester means to those who call it home. Having lived in Manchester for most of my adult life, would this production leave me feeling mad for it?

Described as an epic story of Manchester and Ireland, the production treats the audience to three stories across almost two hours without an interval, yet it never drags. Such a lengthy, uninterrupted show could easily feel unwieldy, but that problem does not rear its head and, instead, it carries the audience effortlessly between the eras, finding unexpected connections along the way. It is a production that feels deliberately shaped for the Royal Exchange: intimate, ambitious, and uniquely attuned to the space and everything it stands for, pride in the city, and a focus on the community. In many ways, this play deserves a life beyond Manchester; however, there is something special about it being performed here. It feels profoundly and unmistakably Mancunian, and, perhaps, it belongs here. 

Mullarkey’s writing is world-building yet intimate, somehow telling tales that span almost two centuries whilst balancing history and deeply human moments of grief, humour, and softness. Dialogue moves from almost lyrical to grounded and homely across the three tales, showcasing his ability to excel across different styles. The first of three parts is a simply brilliant monologue, beautifully written and perfectly pitched, and was a particular highlight of the evening. The second and third parts move from the relatively recent to the here and now and are just as strong. One of the strengths of the writing was in character building and development, which was a real treat to watch. 

The writing was complemented by James Macdonald’s direction, bringing clarity to a busy couple of hours, particularly in part two, which, as well as the two main actors, involved a community cast of around fifty being brought in to play their part. It goes without saying that such a large cast creates a danger of overcrowding and the story being lost in the sheer number of people making appearances, but that is avoided here thanks to the direction. There is a strong sense of rhythm throughout, with scenes unfolding organically and the cast moving seamlessly through the space. The actors are trusted to bring the writing to life and carry the emotional weight of the production. 

Elaine Cassidy makes her Royal Exchange debut as Annie Donovan and Kaz. In the first part, she plays an Irish immigrant, Annie, who has a score to settle due to the recent loss of her beloved pet pig, yes, really. Alone on stage for forty minutes, she delivers an impressively seamless monologue that was funny, heartfelt, and compelling. Monologues, I think, are some of the most difficult and demanding things to perform, especially ones as long as this one, yet Elaine Cassidy delivered it effortlessly, engaging all of the audience in the round throughout. It was, without a doubt, an excellent performance of a brilliantly written piece.

Katherine Pearce takes the lead in part two, whereby she, as a narrator, takes the audience through 15th June 1996, the day of the Manchester bombing, minute by minute and hour by hour. Supported by a large community cast, she brings Manchester to life on stage, telling the tale of the ordinary people on that awful day. The community cast is drawn from people from all 10 of Greater Manchester’s boroughs, bringing a sense of realness to the performance. Despite such a serious and devastating subject, she brings humanity and humour to the story in a down-to-earth performance that was very easy to watch. I really enjoyed all of the references to the streets, shops, bars, and hotels of Manchester; it made the production feel bespoke and written specially for the audience without alienating anyone who has come from elsewhere. 

Cassidy and Pearce come together in the final part to deliver a two-handed performance of a conversation taking place in 2026 between two women exploring such a wide range of topics, including grief, gentrification, and identity. It is a moving piece, beautifully written and wonderfully acted. 

Laura Hopkin’s design was pitched perfectly for this production, bringing so much of Manchester across two centuries into the theatre. This was particularly the case during the second part, which felt like the audience was being taken on a walking tour through Manchester City Centre because of the set design with pieces constantly being moved on and off the stage, moving the audience from pubs on King Street, to shops in the Arndale Centre, to the devastating scenes of Corporation Street. Charles Balfour’s lighting fits well and adapts to each of the three parts of this show, moving from understated to necessarily bold, loud, and bright. 

This is a play that explores Manchester, its people, and how it was built and rebuilt. The inclusion of a large community cast was a stroke of genius, not only because of how important such a decision is for those who love theatre, but also because it replicated what story this production was trying to tell: the need to band together in times of hardship and keep going. Even These Things is a show that feels special and, most importantly, Mancunian.

Even These Things plays at Royal Exchange until 15th June. Tickets from https://www.royalexchange.co.uk/event/even-these-things/#performances