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Sons without fathers
Sons without fathers
Sons without fathers

EXCERPTS FROM REVIEWS
SONS WITHOUT FATHERS, based on CHEKHOV's Platonov, ARCOLA THEATRE LONDON, 2013

“Electrifying” – The Independent ★★★★★

“The performances are nothing short of captivating. Not to be missed.” – Whatsonstage ★★★★★

“Jack Laskey’s brilliant performance…i s surrounded by a tip-top cast. This is an extraordinary production.” – The Guardian ★★★★

“Strong on mood… an emotional joy” – London Metro ★★★★

“Another week, another extraordinary Chekhov revival…This is super stuff, by turns forlorn and hilarious.” – Time Out ★★★★

“The most daring adaptation of Chekhov you’re likely to see – beautifully instinctive and raw spectacle. It sings with truth” – Londonist ★★★★★

“Sons Without Fathers hits you like a steam train with no warning light. A hypnotic flurry of theatrical lust and activity, this is Chekhov in hyper-rebellious mode. Miss it at your peril – can’t say I didn’t warn you.” – One Stop Arts ★★★★★

“Intense and electrifying” – Coventry Telegraph ★★★★

“A Chekhovian rollercoaster…like a pressure cooker out of control.” – The Stage ★★★★

“The cast is in every aspect magnificent… The script is set in modern Russia, but it could be Britain and feels like it should have come from the pen of one of the new generation of blood-and-guts playwrights (Polly Stenham et al).” – The Telegraph ★★★★

“Expect visceral performances, black comedy, intelligence, sex and – of course – vodka” – Hackney Citizen ★★★★

“A powerful piece that lives in the memory. Well worth catching.” – The Public Reviews ★★★★

“You know those football matches where, from that very first touch of the ball at kick-off, you can tell this is going to be a good one – and then it really is? That fluttering incredulity, all the way through – “They can’t keep this up!” Sure enough, they fluff it; your stomach tightens – “It was too good to last.” Then the broken stride mends, the sides are back on flow, your heart’s beating fast and you just want it to keep on going. Well that’s how I felt watching Helena Kaut-Howson’s direction of her own, updated translation of Anton Chekhov’s early play, Platonov. Only decades of learned behaviour stopped me leaping up, punching the air and yelling “Yowza!” at some aspect of the acting, the lighting, the sound, music, design – the whole damn thing. If it had been football, there’d be enough space to give you a blow-by-blow breakdown. But it wasn’t so there isn’t. Just go. See what you think.” – Observer ★★★★