Review: Man To Man (Royal Court)
Review by Daz Gale
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While it is fair to say you can always rely on London’s iconic Royal Court for iconic programming, there is something different about this current season. Celebrating their 70th anniversary, things seem to have been taken up a notch with a range of high-profile premieres, returning classics and exciting collaborations. Among their biggest hits so far this season are the stunning Guess How Much I Love You and West End-bound John Proctor Is The Villain as well as a timely production of Krapp’s Last Tape starring Gary Oldman. Blending the idea of celebrating the past while looking ahead to the future, essentially combining the old with the new, that is none more apparent than their latest production, the Tilda Swinton-led Man To Man, a show that doesn’t just look back at history, but one with an exciting history of its own. Could this be another storming success for the 70th anniversary season, or would this revival struggle to find its own identity?
Translated from German by Anthony and Vivis and revised by Stephen Unwin, Manfred Karge’s Man To Man is set in 1930s Germany and focuses on a woman named Ella in a changing world. Following the death of her husband Max, Ella puts on his trousers and never takes them off, assuming his identity and going through life as Max. Having to endure war, dictatorship, hunger and humiliation all while keeping the secret of her true identity intact. Man To Man examines a world that is drastically changing through the eyes of one woman who is constantly fighting to stay alive.
What is interesting about this production of Man To Man and the idea I mentioned of looking back at the past is the way it has reunited the team behind a previous production. Director Stephen Unwin and designer Bunny Christie were all involved in the UK premiere of this play in 1988 at the Traverse Theatre and Royal Court, with Tilda Swinton originating the role. Almost 40 years later, that same team has come together to reexamine the play for a 2026 audience. Given the themes of this 70th anniversary season, it feels even more poignant, giving members of the audience who may remember the original a sense of nostalgia before the show has even started. In a play dealing with a changing world, much has continued to change in the years since its UK premiere, bringing another level to the story and allowing audiences to find even more connection and significance in the writing,
Man To Man isn't necessarily the most conventional of watches, with 28 short scenes spliced together in a rather frantic and energetic 85 minutes. It doesn’t ease audiences in either, transporting them into the action immediately and allowing them to be immersed into Ella’s story. Not knowing much about the show or seeing it before, it made the first scene even more extreme to witness, but by the second, I found myself gripped. Essentially a study at how to survive in a terrifying world, its themes are just as relevant now as ever before, perhaps even more so. With much conversation still being had about identity, and the construct of gender becoming far more elaborate now, Man To Man successfully challenges ideas and asks important questions. There are moments of humour to be found, namely in a performance that is occasionally exaggerated, but Man To Man has an important story to tell in a daring and thought-provoking watch.
It is Stephen Unwin’s direction that proves even more exciting, finding new and creative ways to tell the story of Ella and Max in a modern world. Again, it is this idea of balancing the past and the present, the old and the new, that makes Man To Man such a thrilling watch, and what Unwin has done here is nothing short of sensational. Creativity really is the key word, as Unwin gives Tilda Swinton plenty to do with nothing more than a deceptively simple white box (meticulously designed by Bunny Christie). The way Ella embodies the character is breathtaking at times, with such clear attention to detail given to every single moment. Whether she is eyeballing the audience or finding ways to redecorate the white box, it is a brash and occasionally urgent direction that I couldn’t take my eyes away from.
Given the whole idea of Ella choosing to wear her husband’s trousers, the fact she spends the majority of the play trouserless is an interesting one, but a choice that ultimately works. Man To Man is not a play that tries to tie anything in a neat bow or gloss away from some of the atrocities going on outside of our moment of escapism, and its commitment to challenging ideologies is part of what makes this such a resounding success. There is one particularly inspired moment in Unwin’s direction, using simple props and finding creative ways to turn them into something else. It is with that that red tape becomes an allegory for the Berlin wall, with its removal absolutely inspired.
Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t perfect, and it is certainly going to be divisive amongst some. But isn’t that what theatre is for? For me, one of the most exciting aspects of theatre is the ability to love a show with the person next to you hating it, and vice versa, though it is far more fun for me when I am the one loving it! Not every moment in Man To Man works quite as faultlessly as the others, but this is the kind of play you really don’t want to be perfect, with its imperfections adding to the weight of it and acting as a direct comparison to the character of Ella/Max who is sometimes likeable, and at other times deplorable.
What elevates Man To Man to the next level is its performer herself. Knowing the history Tilda Swinton has with this story makes her return to the role even more special to watch, and given what a huge star she has become in the years since, it is a rare opportunity to watch a master of her craft on stage in what is her first stage role in more than three decades. It doesn’t take a genius to work out why Swinton has reached the level she has in her career, delivering a blistering, frenetic and unwavering performance that is nothing short of magnificent. Completely embodying the role, Swinton becomes a rock star while taking on the role of one seemingly inconsequential and normal person. The way she saunters around the stage, kicking props and obliterating the fourth wall as she directly stares at audience members at one point teasing those in the “splash zone” (warning - you may well get a ball to the face) is all part of what makes her performance so staggeringly brilliant. Even when the play itself risks losing energy or impact, Swinton’s performance stays at 100 throughout in a compelling and unmissable portrayal.
Man To Man made an impact last time it graced the Royal Court stage, and nothing has changed in the decades since. Well, much has changed in the world, but nothing has changed in the impact this production makes. Through incredible direction from Stephen Unwin and an out-of-this-world performance from Tilda Swinton, Man To Man is one of the more exciting plays I have had the pleasure of attending this year. Certainly unconventional in its approach, its creativity is all part of its charm. While Ella may be taking on her husband’s identity in the story, this production has no doubts in its own identity, resulting in a confident and compelling watch that is sure to stay in my memory in the years to come.
Man To Man plays at the Royal Court until 24th October. Tickets are sold out but keep an eye on https://ro yalcourttheatre.com/events/man-to-man/ for any that may become available.
Following this, it runs at the Traverse Theatre inEdinburgh from Thursday 29 October - Saturday 7 November 2026. In 2027, it will transfer to the Berliner Ensemble with a premiere on 9 February 2027 and will run in New York in Spring 2027, with further details to be announced.
Photos by Ruediger Glatz.