Review: Inter Alia (Lyttlelton Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When it comes to theatre regrets, I’m afraid I’m guilty of not seeing Suzie Miller’s Prima Facie is at the top of mine. Having heard from countless people about what an exceptional piece of theatre it is, I feel I truly missed out by not experiencing it myself. When Miller announced her next play, Inter Alia, was premiering at National Theatre, I knew I wasn’t going to add another regret to my list by missing it. Having not experienced any of her works on stage before, what would my verdict be?

Inter Alia focuses on Jessica Parks, who is at the top of her career as an eminent London Crown Court Judge. Challenging a system that was historically ruled by men, she has to juggle this demanding job with the demands of her personal life as a wife and mother. Usually balancing these two huge aspects of her life, she finds the balance gets harder when an unexpected event brings the two closer together, forcing Jessica to view a particular case both as a judge and a mother.

The balancing of these conflicting roles and the way they tie together is beautifully explored through Suzie Miller’s outstanding writing. The plot builds slowly, allowing for a clear insight into Jessica’s world and mentality both as a judge and a mother. Flashbacks to years earlier allow for a brilliant use of foreshadowing, planting the seeds for what’s to come. As a whole, Inter Alia is a solid, impressive piece of work, but it is when you start to dig deeper and explore the level of Miller’s writing that you can truly realise what an exceptional piece of writing this is.

Inter Alia moves along at a rapid speed, throwing Jessica back and forth at different locations and situations, increasing the ante as the stakes are raised. Though it may come across as exhausting, Miller’s writing never waivers, never missing a beat and always landing with a punch. Some initial comedic moments are slowly ebbed away as the real crux of the story came out. The intermittent laughter is replaced with deathly silence as the intensity ramps up in genuine edge-of-your-seat territory - this really was as gripping a play as I have ever experienced. It is increasingly rare to experience an audience so universally silent, but this play was a fine example of how a packed audience can forget the world and lose themselves in a perfectly realised story such as this one, in a true testament to the power of theatre.

With Miller’s writing some of the best I have experienced in the theatre in quite some time, this genius is matched with Justin Martin’s expert direction. Having worked together on Prima Facie, the pair clearly have a strong and intuitive partnership that knows how to get the best out of each other and make the two elements blend harmoniously. When the writer and director have differing visions, it can be fairly obvious to see and, more often than not, prevents the show from reaching its full potential. The opposite is true in this case, with Miller and Martin forming a formidable double act that collectively brings theatre to the top of its game.

From the rock star opening, the false initial stage, and the varied use of space, every single choice Martin makes in his direction is nothing short of inspired. Miller’s writing can be unflinching, and Martin matches that with the direction, knowing how best to maximise impact with a number of understated and exaggerated choices. It is in the transformation both of the stage and the characters that showcases the direction in Inter Alia at its best, with precise timing and an unrivaled knowing for how best to connect to the audience and make them feel all manner of emotions, even if some prove uncomfortable.

Miriam Buether’s set design is among the most impressive I have ever seen, with its variety and deceptive grandeur, continuing to surprise as the play unravels. Fantastic lighting from Natasha Chivers, video from Willie Williams, and movement from Lucy Hind mean Inter Alia always thrives visually. At this particular performance, a couple of elements seemed to experience some faults, but it is a testament to how strong a play this is that it didn’t detract from the impact at all. A special mention must also go to a particularly strong and refreshing use of sound design from Ben and Max Ringham.

Though the writing and direction are both as good as it gets in theatre, it takes a particularly strong performer to be able to match these impossibly high levels. Step forward, Rosamund Pike. As Jessica Parks, Pike is a wonder. Miller’s writing allows for a deeply fleshed-out character that takes in all elements from her personal and professional life, even giving a nod to how she lets her hair down when she’s not being a judge or a mother. This gives Pike plenty to play with and boy, does she deliver. In a performance that isn’t so much well-rounded as it is all-encompassing, Pike completely becomes Parks in an out-of-this-world, absurdly good performance. The depth she has in this performance is an absolute joy to see, and the believable and gradual way she comes to terms with what has happened and what it means for her both professionally and personally is among the best character performances I have ever witnessed. Absolutely phenomenal in every sense, Rosamund Pike has delivered one of the performances of the year - don’t be surprised if she gets award nominations for this remarkable turn.

Though Pike has the lion’s share of the stage time, taking on other characters from her life, she does share the stage at points with two other fine actors. Jamie Glover gives a fine turn as Jessica’s husband, Michael, with the scenes between the pair as they come to terms with the developments in their family electric to watch. Jasper Talbot doesn;t have the easiest of tasks taking on the pair’s som, Harry, but manages a miraculous performance that has moments of heart, horror and no shortage of intrigue. One pivotal scene towards the show’s climax showcases Talbot’s true range as an actor, with Pike’s reactions to this similarly heightening the experience.

I always harp on with my go to saying that “Theatre at its best can make you feel”. Inter Alia had me feeling like never before. Once I got lost in the story, the rest of the world disappeared and all that remained was what was in front of me - a powerful story that reminded me of how incredible theatre can be, Perhaps I did need reminding after a less than stellar couple of weeks for new shows, but Inter Alia is one of the best there is. You can tell a play was special when you find yourself unable to take your mind off of it for the rest of the evening (I even nearly walked into a tree on the way back to the station - that is either a testament to how fantastic this play is, or what an idiot I am, though both can be true). If this is a reflection of Suzie Miller’s writing, consider me even more devastated I didn’t get to experience Prima Facie in person - here we have a writer at the top of her game, writing intelligent and thought-provoking plays, completely distinct in their approach and unlike no other. With inspired direction and a strikingly good lead performance, the result is a faultless production that I can only describe as perfect. If Suzie Miller wanted to create a strong contender for the greatest play of the year, she’s certainly guilty of doing that.

Inter Alia plays at the Lyttlelton Theatre until 13th September. Tickets from https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/inter-alia/ 

It will also be in cinemas from 4th September. Find your nearest here:

https://interalia.ntlive.com/ 

Photos by Manuel Harlan