Review: SIDEWAYS, St James Theatre, May 31 2016

Many will remember Sideways as the Academy Award and Golden Globe winning 2004 film based on Rex Pickett's novel. The production now at the St James Theatre is directed by David Grindley and written by Pickett. Sideways is about a pair of middle-aged men drinking their way through California's wine country on a bachelor trip before one of them gets married.

Miles (Daniel Weyman) is a struggling writer, pinning his hopes on his latest novel when a publisher expresses an interest in his writing. His best friend is failed actor turned director Jack (Simon Harrison), who intends to sow his wild oats before his upcoming nuptials. Recently divorced, Miles is a wine buff who has a love for Pinot Noir, a passion he shares with waitress Maya (Ellie Piercy), who attempts to seduce Miles, while her friend Terra (Beth Cordingly) begins a wild affair with Jack, not realising he is set to get married in just a few days' time.

Both sets of friends are like double acts - Weyman's Miles with his physical comedy when he goes weak-kneed for wine and long-winded pompous talking style, while Harrison is bold, brash and crude as Jack. Although their misogynistic conversations do get boring and tiresome very quickly. One of the most likeable characters is Maya, as her affection for Miles is clear even though the man himself seems resistant to anything happening between the two of them - although Piercy's American accent often gave way to her British one. Cordingly brilliantly portrays a scorned lover and her final scene garnered some of the biggest laughs of the evening.

The set designed by Laura Hopkins is very basic and, with some effort from the actors, changes from a wine bar to a motel room. It doesn't add anything to the atmosphere and at one point it felt like it might have fallen over. At two hours and 40 minutes, it is a lengthy production and although there were scenes of fantastic comedy, they are few and far between and time did feel like it was dragging towards the end.

Photo Credit: Pamela Raith

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