Review: Lovers Actually (The Other Palace Studio)

Review by Rosie Holmes

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The 2003 movie Love Actually is a British Christmas staple, and a film that’s probably one of my most quoted, even if some of its storylines haven’t aged particularly gracefully. Enter Lovers Actually - a gloriously chaotic parody version, premiering this festive season at The Other Palace, following last year’s parody on another Christmas staple, Homo Alone. It’s a silly and fun festive night out, though this is not one to bring your mum to, unless she’s partial to a dildo serenade, of course. 

From the moment the curtain rises on Louie Whitmore’s gift-wrapped set, you know you’re in for something gloriously silly. The show whisks us through all the iconic characters and questionable plotlines, poking fun at the film’s heteronormative undertones and adding its own cheeky twists. Liam Neeson’s grieving widower? He’s now Liam Neeson from Taken. Natalie, the Prime Minister’s work crush? She’s Tiffany from Albert Square. These meta moments are where the show shines brightest,  affectionate, clever, and bang up to date, even while still set in 2003. There are nods to Trump, Reform UK, and plenty of winks to the film's cultural quirks. If anything, I’d have loved them to lean even harder into modernising the narrative.

For fans of the film, all the classic lines are present - the audience roared with applause when Holly Sumpton delivered Juliet’s iconic “I look quite pretty.” Sumpton is a standout, juggling Juliet and Karen (Keira Knightley and Emma Thompson’s roles) with uncanny precision. Her mannerisms are spot-on, and she nails the emotional Joni Mitchell moment before then flipping it into a laugh two seconds later. Martha Polten is pure high-energy joy as Tiffany from-Eastenders, while Ross Clifton tackles the intimidating trifecta of Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, and Alan Rickman with charm and ridiculous gusto. His Snapefied Harry is a particular highlight – silly, sharp, and utterly hilarious. Joseph Beach brings Billy Mack and Liam Neeson to life, wringing every ounce of comedy from the script, and his reimagined Baby It’s Cold Outside duet with Joe is a festive treat.

The energy of the cast is infectious – they look like they’re having the time of their lives, and it’s impossible not to get swept up in the fun. After all, who wouldn’t want to see Professor Snape buying a butt plug? They really make the most of the material written by Jodie Prenger and Neil Hurst. Their writing proves sharp, witty, and festively fun, though the show occasionally oversells its own jokes, explaining punchlines that would land better if left to breathe. Still, the overall effect is pure seasonal silliness, and very hard not to enjoy.

This parody is a musical, and Lauren Hopkinson has reworked many beloved Christmas songs and carols into debauched and silly versions, whilst also reworking classic songs from the film’s soundtrack. Not all of them work quite as well, with the reworked version of ‘Jump’ by the Pointer Sisters as an innuendo-filled song about tea and biscuits- “I want to pop his hob nob in my gob” not my cup of tea. However, there are real highlights such as the reworking of ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ and, of course, ‘Love Is All Around’.

Louie Whitmore’s set and costume design deserve applause too, his giant gift box set is bursting with surprises and is both clever and charming, reminiscent of an advent calendar, it allows the cast to hop from Downing Street to Albert Square in moments. Whitmore’s costumes also lovingly recreate iconic film looks. Juliet wearing her baker boy hat at her wedding was a touch of genius. 

That said, Lovers Actually is very much a parody for the fans. If you haven’t seen the film or can’t quote it word-for-word as I can you might find yourself a little lost in the chaos. There’s no neat red ribbon tying all the stories together like in the original; instead, it plays out as a whirlwind of chaotic sketches. In some ways, it's part of the charm, but don’t expect a cohesive narrative -this show is more about the laughs than the logic.

If you’re after a night of festive fun that’s as naughty as it is nostalgic, Lovers Actually is the one. To almost quote the film, to me this show might not be perfect, but its cast is. It’s a funny, silly, and Christmassy show that fans of the film are sure to love, actually.

Lovers Actually plays at The Other Palace Studio until 4th January. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/musical/lovers-actually-tickets

Photos by Pamela Raith