Review: High Noon (Harold Pinter Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️

When it comes to stage adaptations of classic films, audiences are currently spoiled for choice, with a notable influx appearing over the past year. One genre we rarely see on stage, however, is the Western (though KENREX arguably incorporates this in its genre-blending performance), so there is hot anticipation surrounding the world premiere of High Noon, riding into the Harold Pinter Theatre. Adored across generations and frequently cited in lists of the greatest films ever made, expectations were understandably high for the first-ever stage adaptation of the classic story. The question is - would it prove to be the fastest shooter in the West End, or would audiences be ready to run it out of town?

Based on the 1952 movie, High Noon is set in real time as Marshal Will Kane marries Amy Fowler, preparing to hand in his badge and start a new adventure in wedded bliss. Those plans quickly go awry when word arrives that Frank Miller, an outlaw Kane sent to prison, has been released and is on a train back, ready to take his revenge. Kane races against the clock to round up anyone who will help him in his fight and prevent his wife from being made a widow, but with this not being what she signed up for, would it already be too late for their marriage?

The story is filled with themes of courage, justice and duty. Impossible choices prove obstacles in the main love story, while obligation and loyalties are tested in Kane’s desperate fight. Interestingly, rather than stick to the original story faithfully, Eric Roth’s stage adaptation isn’t afraid to make necessary changes, sometimes updating the themes to reflect the change in attitudes that may not play as well on stage now, changing the essence of the main characters in doing so. Not to give anything away but any purists of the movie may be surprised to see some major changes in pivotal moments that change the trajectory of the story.

Roth is an established writer, responsible for 40 motion pictures over six decades, and won an Academy Award in the process, though this remarkably marks his first play. He feels like the perfect candidate to translate the story of High Noon for the stage, given his own vast experience with movies, and the result is a solidly written piece that balances keeping true to the original story while introducing new elements, and finding creative ways to tell the story in this new medium, keeping fans of the original movie happy while enticing new audiences to the story. Overall, he does a pretty good job in doing this, keeping the story to a pacey 1 hour 45 minutes (no interval) as events take place in real time.

The problem is that Roth’s writing feels at odds with Thea Shaddock’s direction at times. Though there are some great choices to be found in Shaddock’s direction, it doesn’t seem to blend with Roth’s vision as effortlessly as you would expect, leading to a real inconsistency - some choices prove inspired while others feel extremely misjudged. I had the sense that certain actors had been given notes that didn’t allow them to play to their best abilities, stifling them and leading to a couple of performances that matched the set design (by Tim Hatley) for its wooden nature, while other choices fell flat, never enjoying the desired impact.

With the film playing out in real time, the stage adaptation ensures this is also done with the presence of a large, looming clock on top of the stage. While I get what they were going for with this choice, it does prove jarring at times, particularly with the way it doesn’t actually move in real time and can be quite jarring to see it suddenly jolt forward several minutes. That may prove a pedantic comment to make, but if you are going to go all out with the real-time theme, trust your convictions and have the clock do that too. Though it is a relatively pacey play, the prominence of this clock meant there was literal “clock-watching” going on - I found myself distracted during several scenes, glanced at the clock and thought to myself “80 minutes to go” - not what you want when you want true escapism in the theatre. While I get what they were going for with the clock, ultimately, I’d argue it does more harm than good in this production. And for anyone keeping score, yes, I did just write an entire paragraph on a clock.

Other creative choices didn’t quite work as well. For some reason, there is a prominence of music in this production with characters bursting into song frequently - this means we are treated to seven musical numbers, including three from that famous singer from the 1800s, Bruce Springsteen. As someone who thinks everything is better with music, and more shows should feature characters randomly bursting into song, I had to ask what the purpose of this actually was. There were a couple of moments where it made sense, particularly in the case of Amy Fowler, and, while I enjoyed listening to the gorgeous singing voices of these cast members, it made me think this production of High Noon was suffering from a bit of an identity crisis, never quite knowing what it wanted to be, leading to some real uneven and jarring sequences.

Though I appreciated Lizzi Gee’s choreography and movement, it felt quite out of place in this production. Again, I understood what they were going for and why they opted to include dancing that felt fitting for a Western, but it felt as if the thought process was “A Western. On stage. Let’s have them dance” - I was half-expecting the cast to burst into a rendition of Steps ‘5,6,7,8’ at one point. The intricate fight direction from Kate Waters had some great moments to it, but again felt uneven at times, with one crucial fight between two characters never quite feeling as slick as it ought to be. All of these conflicting elements lead to a production that feels extremely confused - until it knows exactly what it wants to be, it's hard for the audience to know how to take it. There is one utterly inspired choice, however, utilising Neil Austin's lighting design to create a stunning image as Frank Miller makes his long-awaited entrance in a trully striking piece of theatre, faultlessly executed and showing just what this show could achieve when everything works in tandem.

High Noon may be slightly stifled by some conflicting creative choices, but its talented cast still manages to lift the show to the next level. Billy Crudup is a wonderful actor, proven time and time again with his credits on stage and screen, last seen in the West End in the sensational Harry Clarke in 2024, but for one reason or another, he isn’t played to his strengths in this production. Though he is a charismatic leading man and does the best that he can with the role, his performance lacked something, never coming across as authentic and feeling as if it needed some more bedding in to really land the role of Will Kane. Of course, he has some big shoes to fill, with Gary Cooper famously donning those cowboy boots in the movie. He does a fine job, but in some ways it does feel as if he is going through the motions and never quite unlocking the full potential he is so very clearly capable of.

Denise Gough fares far better as Amy Fowler in a role that has been tweaked from the original movie. Gough’s electric presence on stage lifts the play whenever she appears, and the inclusion of her beautiful singing voice is a nice surprise (despite how necessary the songs were). Again, she does a fantastic job to the best of her abilities, but still feels stifled by some of the choices in her direction. It is a testament to her abilities as an actor that even when facing these obstacles, she can still deliver a performance as magnetic and mesmerising as this.

Billy Howle delivers a fine performance as Harvey Pell, channelling the complexities and contradictions in his character as he battles with rapid changes to his life and career in just under two hours. James Doherty is a standout in a number of small but mighty roles, but it is Rosa Salazar who truly steals the show with her incredible performance as Helen Ramirez. While some others seem to have been given questionable notes on how to portray their characters, Salazar has escaped this fate, managing to make her character well-rounded and enigmatic. Though she is a much smaller character in comparison to Will Kane and Amy Fowler, she somehow emerges as the star of the show. High Noon is at its very best in a scene featuring Gough and Salazar together, showing how much stronger the show could have been as a whole had they managed to match this level throughout.

Is High Noon the slickest show in the West End? Not by a long shot. But is it enjoyable? In that respect, it certainly hits its mark. It is quite messy and suffers from some poorly conceived choices, jarring moments and the sense that creatives hadn’t quite worked together in harmony, but there are still many good qualities to take away from this play. In hindsight, perhaps a bit more workshopping would have been in order before it made its long-awaited stage debut, as a story as well-loved as this needs to shoot to kill - and this one barely grazes. Though High Noon may be a bumpy ride, it is still well worth saddling up for - just try not to watch the clock.

It may be a bumpy ride

High Noon plays at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 6th March. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/high-noon-tickets

Photos by Johan Persson