Review: HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES, Theatre Royal Haymarket, April 4 2016

First performed in 1969 and fast becoming a hit, Alan Ayckbourn's second play 'How the Other Half Loves' has returned to the West End at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Infidelity, lies, misunderstandings and hilarity unite to create a revealing insight into the lives of three work colleagues and their wives.

It is revealed early on that Bob Phillips (Jason Merrells) is having an affair with his boss's wife Fiona (Jenny Seagrove). When both Bob's wife Teresa (Tamzin Outhwaite) and Fiona's husband Frank (superbly played by Nicholas Le Prevost) become suspicious, their partners use Bob's colleague William Featherstone and his timid wife Mary as alibis. The oblivious Featherstone's are invited to dinner at both homes on successive nights, and the scene is hilariously executed as William (Matthew Cottle) and Mary (Gillian Wright) swivel in their seats as both dinner parties play out at the same time.

The set-up is ingenious - the play is set in the living room of Fiona and Frank Foster and Teresa and Bob Phillips, which has been combined to create one room, with different furniture marking the difference between each home. While the Fosters' furniture is clearly expensive and all matching, the Phillips' is vastly different - with mismatched coverings and clutter everywhere thanks to their young son Benjamin. The split living room works superbly, scenes are intercut with the actors cutting across each other with impeccable timing. It is a brilliant use of the stage and very cleverly done thanks to set designer Julie Godfrey.

Director Alan Strachan, who also directed the 1988 West End revival of the same play, brings out the best in the cast who all have great chemistry and impeccable comic timing. Le Prevost is hilarious as bumbling devoted husband Frank, while Wright is also brilliant as mousy Mary who does not cope well with social situations, hiding behind her husband who constantly slaps her on the wrist when she says something he doesn't like. A lot of the humour is outdated, given that it was written in and is set in the 1960s; however, this does not detract from the comic value of Ayckbourn's production.

Photo Credit: Alastair Muir

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