Ecstasy

There’s nothing ecstatic about the lives of the characters in Mike Leigh’s revival of his ironically titled 1979 slice-of-life drama, set in the cheerless Kilburn bedsit of Siân Brooke’s lonely, unfulfilled petrol station attendant Jean.

It’s a dispiritingly realistic study of limited working class lives, originally devised by Leigh in conjunction with the actors who created the roles over thirty years ago and restaged here with a depressing authenticity punctuated by frequent moments of comedy provided by chirpy, light-fingered best friend Dawn (Sinéad Matthews) and her irresponsible Irish builder spouse (Allen Leech) as she totters drunkenly into his arms in a post pub singing session.

But for Jean and their old mate Len the tentative prospect of happiness seems slim in this strongly acted transfer of Hampstead’s sold out production. 

4/5

Duchess, Catherine Street, WC2B 5LA
Tube: Charing Cross
hampsteadtheatre.com
020 7722 9301 AND
nimaxtheatres.com
0844 412 4659
Until 28th May
£22-£45

– Louise Kingsley