top of page

Review: Kyoto (@SohoPlace)

Writer's picture: All That DazzlesAll That Dazzles

Review by Daz Gale

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

It’s fair to say that the inaugural season from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new co-artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey was a resounding success, with acclaimed productions giving the company a new lease of life. One of the more notable and remarkable productions was the world premiere of the political thriller Kyoto. Its initial run at The Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon was met with critical acclaim, where one of my fellow reviewers on here even cited it as his favourite play of the year. When a London transfer was announced, I knew I had to see it for myself, but would I find it just as hot in this different climate?

 


Kyoto tells the extraordinary true story of the landmark Kyoto agreement that took place in 1997. This agreement saw an unlikely group of international diplomats, scientists, politicians and activists from 150 countries working together to reach the first ever global agreement on climate change. The play focuses on the lead up to that moment from the first murmurings of climate change in 1989, leading up to that pivotal event in 1997 with a short epilogue stretching beyond it.

 

The @SohoPlace stage has been transformed to resemble the Kyoto conference in an inspired design by Miriam Buether. Audience members sit among the cast as they surround the stage in this front row all becoming delegates of specific countries, much to their surprise. It is a striking stage and works effectively, making full use of the space in @SohoPlace and playing up to the strengths of this intimate yet versatile recent addition to the West End. Video design from Akhila Krishnan uses a mix of archive footage with a touch of live filming thrown in to create a production that manages to immerse you into its world, making you feel as if you really are at the conference yourself.

 


The action is split into two distinct parts with act one taking the audience on a journey from the beginnings in the late 1980s, catching up on everything that led up to 1997’s Kyoto agreement. Act two, on the other hand, stays in one setting, set wholly at the meeting that gives the show its title. Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson’s writing is full of riches throughout, setting the bar high and getting an easy laugh in in the opening moments and continuing to enthral throughout. The humour dotted throughout is inserted naturally and never belittled the serious subject on the table (literally) but makes the story feel that much more human.


Murphy and Robertson’s writing ability continually impresses remaining exciting throughout and packing a punch in key moments. This is none the more apparent than the layered way they portray main character Don Pearlman (Stephen Kunken) – though deeply unlikeable as a character, his motives and more complex aspects of Pearlman are explored with such vivacity, it showcases the talents of all involved.

 


Kyoto is a play with a serious message. As well as being a real series of events, the issue of climate change is obviously one that hasn’t gone away and remains crucial to this day. I’m not here to preach about that though and, refreshingly, neither is Kyoto. Though it never attempts to make light of the issue and urges people to act on it, it brings this message across with subtlety so that it never becomes over-bearing and provides an enjoyable and entertaining watch, no matter your own political beliefs. A knowledge or lack-thereof of this subject makes no difference to the enjoyment of the play either – though it is certainly educational, ultimately it is a show telling a global story in an intimate snapshot, making it completely accessible for all.

 

Leading the play as Don Pearlman, the American oil lobbyist and master strategist who played a chief part in this proceedings, Stephen Kunken delivers a performance that is nothing short of spectacular. Bold and brash, he makes his character clear within seconds of meeting him in an outstanding characterisation that drives the plot forward, even when Pearlman himself has been kicked out of the room where it happens, to quote another historical show. The balance between villain and human is played out meticulously in a well-rounded performance that dominates the show and always ensures one eye is on Kunken even when he is seemingly in the background.

 


Jenna Augen plays Don’s long-suffering wife Shirley. Side-lined for large parts of the play, this is a deliberate choice that represents her feeling of insignificance in her husband’s story. The fleeting appearances she does make are incredibly impactful, with comedic turns dominating many of them, particularly one unexpected Shakespeare segue (this is the RSC, after all). Her final appearance is completely contrasting to her previous as she closes the show, finally front and centre and able to be a part of the story in a compelling monologue that wraps Kyoto and Pearlman’s story up beautifully.

 

Kristin Atherton is a highlight as Germany’s Angela Merkel with Ferdy Roberts in scene-stealing fashion as the UK’s own John Prescott (look out for the brilliant “Two jags” reference). Nancy Crane gives a larger-than-life and extremely memorable turn as the USA delegate while Raad Rawi is another highlight as Saudi Arabia. Jorge Bosch gets an increasingly vital role in Kyoto as Raúl Estrada-Oyuela in a performance it’s easy to dismiss as a bit role early on, but is worth keeping an eye on for the ultimate pay-off. As an ensemble cast, every member of Kyoto amazes, coming together to create a group of people who deliberately clash but still create theatre magic in doing so.

 


Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin’s takes the writing and the @SohoPlace space and has as much fun with it as they possibly can, maximising every detail and creating one of the more unique plays I have seen for a long time. Having delegates sitting around a stage for the majority of the play may not feel like the most exciting of watches but you would be very wrong in thinking that. Think of it as a particularly rowdy episode of The Traitors -  an image my mind immediately went to in capturing that big table, only with much higher stakes. Daldry and Martin use every tool at their disposal to play to every aspect of the layered writing, exaggerating the humour and making sure the key message and heart of the play is always felt.

 

Walking in to Kyoto, I had high hopes knowing what others had said from its previous run. There is always the worry that impact may not have translated to the West End though and something may have been lost along the way. I needn’t have worried – this show is sensational on every level. Through creative touches in its writing, direction and staging as well as a stunning cast, Kyoto is the first unmissable play of 2025 and gets the year off to a strong start. Judging by the audience reaction on the night, I’d say that verdict may well be unanimous.

 


Kyoto plays at @SohoPlace until 3rd May. Tickets from www.sohoplace.org

 

Photos by Manuel Harlan

bottom of page