The Unfriend 2023
Ages: 12+
Opened: January 19, 2023Closing: April 16, 2023
The Unfriend - 2023 - West End History , Info & More
Criterion Theatre
218-223 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1V 9LB, United Kingdom London
Following its acclaimed sold-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre, prepare to welcome The Unfriend to the West End for a strictly limited run at the Criterion Theatre.
This riotous dark comedy from writer Steven Moffat and director Mark Gatiss, the award-winning team behind BBC’s Sherlock, stars an uproarious cast including Reece Shearsmith (Inside No. 9), Amanda Abbington (Sherlock) and Frances Barber (Silk).
While on holiday Peter and Debbie befriend Elsa: a lusty, Trump-loving widow from Denver, USA. She’s less than woke but kind of wonderful. They agree to stay in touch - because no one ever really does, do they?
When Elsa invites herself to stay a few months later, they decide to look her up online. Too late, they learn the truth about Elsa Jean Krakowski. Deadly danger has just boarded a flight to London!
What began as a casual holiday friendship is now a threat to the lives of their children. Peter and Debbie now face the ultimate challenge of the modern world - how do you protect all that you love from mortal peril without seeming a bit impolite. Because guess who’s coming… to MURDER.
__Assisted performances__
Wednesday 8th March 7:30pm – Captioned
Saturday 18th March 2:30pm – British Sign Language Interpreted
Saturday 1st April 2:30pm – Audio Described
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR The Unfriend
Steven Moffat’s debut play is a disappointingly bland comedy about an English couple who take in a possible serial killer
4 / 10
Moffat is an accomplished TV writer, and while not best known for comedy these days, he did mastermind enjoyable early ’00s sitcom ‘Coupling’. But clearly most playwrights don’t go straight into the West End with their first play. ‘The Unfriend’ is relatively short, but also waffly, unfocused and above all, bland. It’s easy to fantasise about what a playwright specialising in dark comedy like Richard Bean might have got out of the premise. But it’s doubly frustrating that as writers, both Gatiss and Shearsmith have such good form for the domestic grotesque; after a while, the cheeky little detail of Peter and Debbie’s house being number nine feels like it’s taunting us.
A fast-paced comedy of manners
9 / 10
Steven Moffat’s fast-paced comedy of manners amplifies British awkwardness to a tee. The politeness of inviting a dangerous criminal into your home to avoid being slightly rude is a brilliantly wonderful storyline, held up by the equally fantastic cast, who delivers each scene with expertise. Director Mark Gatiss makes sure the pace stays relentless throughout, bringing the best out of Moffat’s well written script, and ensuring that even during scene changes there are humorous background moments from the characters to keep the engagement high.
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Review Roundup: THE UNFRIEND at the Criterion Theatre
by Aliya Al-Hassan - January 20, 2023
by Aliya Al-Hassan - January 20, 2023
Following its acclaimed sold-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre, The Unfriend has now opened in the West End for a strictly limited run from 15 January. This riotous dark comedy from writer Steven Moffat and director Mark Gatiss, the award- winning team behind BBC's Sherlock, stars an uproarious cast including Reece Shearsmith, Amanda Abington and Frances Barber.
What did the critics think of Steven Moffat's dark comedy?
Review: THE UNFRIEND, Criterion Theatre
by Alexander Cohen - January 20, 2023
by Alexander Cohen - January 20, 2023
As much a comedy of menace as it is a comedy of manners.
The Unfriend FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What productions of The Unfriend have there been?
The Unfriend has had 2 productions including West End which opened in 2023 and West End which opened in 2023.
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