Review: Tending (Riverside Studios)

Review by Jack Stevens

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tending, now playing at London’s Riverside Studios, is the kind of play that gently pulls you in, wrapping you in a story that feels close to home before slowly revealing its deeper emotional layers. It makes you laugh, reflect, and maybe even reach for a tissue or two. What begins as a seemingly simple production soon blossoms into a rich, moving, and quietly powerful theatrical experience that lingers long after the final bow.

Based on over 70 interviews conducted over two years with NHS nurses of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities, Tending tells their raw, real and often unheard stories. These true-life testimonies are woven into the experiences of three characters: a palliative care nurse, a paediatric ICU nurse, and an A&E nurse, who give moving and powerful accounts of why they chose the profession, what a typical working day looks like, and the highs and lows of job - from bad smells to providing support to those grieving the loss of loved ones. A love letter to the NHS, created with the community that sustains it, Tending is a call to action for reform and also shines a light on the lack of support, asking: when the system is under pressure and lives are on the line, who will care for the carers?

Under John Livesey's steady and considered direction, the piece feels organic and deliberate in equal measure, with every movement and pause seeming purposeful and perfectly timed. There is a real sense that nothing happens by accident, yet the performers never feel restricted or overly choreographed. Instead, they deliver their lines and actions with a natural ease that invites the audience in, creating a sense of quiet connection and trust.

Ros Chase's lighting design is elegant in its simplicity, using gentle washes and isolated spotlights to guide the audience's eye without overwhelming the scene. Blue backlighting adds a cool, clinical feel that reinforces the setting, while a sudden shift to a deep red hue for a certain scene, softened with just a whisper of warmth, creates a stunning visual moment. Sound design by Sarah Spencer brings texture and atmosphere in all the right places, adding depth without drawing attention to itself. There were a couple of instances where the music slightly overpowered the dialogue, but these were minor bumps in an otherwise beautifully balanced sound design.

The set, also by John Livesey, is minimal and functional, comprising just a hospital-style blind, a fluorescent tube light, and three stark plastic chairs. While sparse, this design proves highly effective, leaving room for the story and performances to take centre stage without distraction. The costumes follow a similarly stripped-back approach, with plain white T-shirts beneath classic blue scrubs and a handful of accessories used to distinguish each character. This allows their personalities to shine through without saying a word.

The script by El Blackwood has been pieced together with care and thought, weaving humour and poignancy throughout with a deft hand. Although there are a couple of moments where the rhythm of the piece feels briefly interrupted, these small stumbles do little to detract from what is, on the whole, a heartfelt and highly effective piece of verbatim writing. The music throughout complements the tone of the scenes well, never feeling intrusive or out of place and always serving the story's emotional beats.

The performances are outstanding. Ben Lynn brings a vibrant humour to his role, laced with moments of tenderness that creep up on you when you least expect it, offering a real emotional punch beneath the charm. Anjelica Serra also delivers an impressive performance, earning both laughter and heartfelt sighs with equal skill. At the same time, El Blackwood, whose character carries the heaviest emotional weight, brings a quiet intensity that grounds the entire production. While that role may not be the most humorous, this depth creates a perfect counterbalance to the lighter moments, and the chemistry between the three is undeniable, making their interactions feel completely authentic and emotionally charged.

Altogether, this show offers far more than you might expect at first glance. The unexpected dance sequence had the audience in stitches, the MP storyline was uncomfortable in all the best and most necessary ways, and the final monologue left the theatre in a collective hush, with more than a few damp cheeks. It's a moving and thoughtful piece of theatre that manages to be both entertaining and deeply reflective. And while it feels perfectly at home in a more intimate venue, there's a quiet little voice wondering just how well it might land on a certain larger stage somewhere not too far away. This really is the perfect love letter to the NHS—personal, honest, and full of genuine affection.

Tending plays at Riverside Studios until May 4th

For tickets and information visit https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/tending-156272/

Photos by Charlie Flint