Review: WOMAN IN MIND, Theatre Royal
Woman In Mind runs at the Theatre Royal until 14 March
Direct from the West End, Woman In Mind is a revival of the 1985 play by Alan Ayckbourn which is directed by Michael Longhurst and stars Sheridan Smith and Romesh Ranganathan.
Susan (Smith) is living a very mundane life when she suffers a blow to the head in the garden. Her reality fractures, and her mind splits between her ideal life with a gorgeous husband who adores her and two perfect children.
It’s not quite real life and she’s actually married to Gerald (Tim McMullan) who is slightly less exciting. She doesn’t get along with her sister-in-law and she’s all but estranged from her only son. Can you blame her for wanting to escape into this hallucinated alternate universe?
As you would expect, Sheridan Smith is spectacular as she unravels throughout the play. The cast are by far the strongest thing about this production and make this bizarre fever dream very watchable. While the point is for the play to feel fragmented, it is a little too farcical at points and the dipping in and out of reality grows a bit tiresome.
Alan Ayckbourn’s play still feels fresh and relevant today as Susan remains trapped in a monotonous lifestyle- even in her fantasy.
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