Review: The Real Thing (The Old Vic)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Tom Stoppard classic returns to London this month, and to its former home of The Old Vic as a new production of The Real Thing attempts to blur the lines between theatre and reality with its multiple layers. Having been well-received in its previous productions over more than 40 years, could this 2024 production match its enduring legacy?

The Real Thing focuses primarily on the relationship between playwright Henry and actress Annie. Having started as an affair when Henry was married to Charlotte, deceit constantly rears its ugly head in a play that flits between acting and authenticity, always leaving you questioning what is real. In a relationship where infidelity is always fresh in the couples minds, could this ever be the real thing?

It may be stating the obvious to speak about the intelligence and versatility in Tom Stoppard’s writing, but it really is exciting to witness, especially when watching one of his plays for the first time as I experienced on this occasion. The false start of the play within a play always leaves you questioning the reality with each scene transition, always suspecting there may be another inception style reveal in a story that always feels like a play within a play within a play. Fully fleshed out characters and consistent themes in a changing tone perfectly bring Stoppard’s witty and gritty writing to life. A recognisable story that begins as a simple affair feels eerily relatable as comedy and reality come together to create a truly captivating watch. Veering in to a more emotional territory at times, culminating in a painful response from one of the main characters, The Real Thing is a play that keeps you on your toes, all the while impressing at every turn.

Stoppard’s writing may be timeless in itself with themes that seemingly transcend decades and generations. However, it is Max Webster’s striking direction that brings this production to life in spectacular fashion. With understated moments at times and overblown in others, the conflicting balance reflects Stoppard’s shifting tone with Webster’s choices verging between playful and inspired. The use of a “stage crew” (better classed as an ensemble here) was one of the most refreshing moments I have seen in the theatre this year, with their increasingly larger-than-life presence beautifully bridging the gap between the play and the real thing, showing a great understanding for the material and how best to tell it in this day and age so that it resonates with an enthralled audience.

A sparse and spacious set design by Peter McKintosh allows you to never be distracted and focus solely on the characters on stage, which Webster relishes in his execution. Richard Howell’s lighting brings this to life in spectacular fashion with some glorious effects throughout, creating an atmospheric and, at times, claustrophobic setting on stage. The use of music became integral to the story and helped transition scenes and move the story along fantastically with on-the-nose parallels in the lyrics and the story itself. Alexandra Faye Braithwaite’s sound ensured this was always crystal clear and played out to effortless effect.

James McArdle leads the cast with his dominating portrayal of Henry. Overblown in places with exaggerated flourishes, his take on the playwright provided hilarity and heart as his seemingly nonchalant exterior ebbed away as the play progressed. With great comic timing and a remarkable stage presence, as he charmed two of his female co-stars during the course of the play, he also easily charmed the audience to fall in love with his portrayal of the character. The comedy subsided in one key scene which showed McArdle’s versatility as an actor as he attempted to get to grips with his unfolding situation.

Though McArdle has the most stage time, he threatens to be dominated by the women in his life – the first of which comes courtesy of Susan Wokoma, making a strong and lasting impression as Henry’s first wife Charlotte. From her false start in the play within a play to the unravelling of her relationship, she thrills in the early scenes of the play, which makes it such a shame she isn’t seen much following this, aside from a very welcome albeit brief return towards the close of act two. Oliver Johnstone suffers a similar fate as Max whose deceptive early importance is quickly brushed aside when Henry comes into prominence, meaning we don’t see him again after the earlier scenes. Johnstone makes a lasting impression with his comparatively brief stage time, however, in a sweet and funny performance.

The standout performance, for me, came from Bel Powley as Annie. From her initial appearance in a relationship with Max to her affair with Henry and the time-jump which showed a more confident character, Powley marvelled at every turn as she explored every corner of Annie’s personality, tapping into her motives and making her seem all the more real in doing so. While gender politics are touched upon briefly during the play, Powley ends up holding the cards as Annie with a performance that moves the narrative on brilliantly. Her scenes with both McArdle’s Henry and Johnstone’s Max showed fantastic chemistry and no shortage of range in a character full of depth.

If I have one minor criticism of this play, it is in how underutilised some of the characters are. While Henry and Annie are the main attraction, I longed to see more of their previous partners Charlotte and Max, having embraced them early on. This can be a testament to the writing that even the smallest of characters have so much depth to them that it leaves you wanting to see more from them. The similar is said from the often heard about but rarely seen Debbie (Karise Yansen) and Brodie (Jack Ambrose) whose all too brief singular scenes felt a bit anticlimactic after how much they had been built up prior to their fleeting appearances.

As a first time watcher of The Real Thing, it is no wonder audiences have fallen in love with this play over the decades. Regularly funny and, at times, sincere, it’s recognisable realism is part of its charm, though this is completely at odds with the theme of what actually is real during the play. There is no doubting the talent of all involved here, from the initial writing to the incredible performances and inspired direction breathing life into this current production. The characters in The Real Thing may end up falling out of love with each other after some time but there is no danger of anyone falling out of love with this play. In what is proving to be an incredibly consistent and strong year for The Old Vic, The Real Thing is yet another outstanding hit for them.

The Real Thing plays at The Old Vic until 26th October. Tickets from www.oldvictheatre.com

Photos by Manuel Harlan