On the eve of July 4th in the Hamptons, Elena Solness, a publishing magnate, is preparing to throw a party to celebrate her architect husband, Henry Solness, as he unveils his latest masterpiece. Their already vulnerable union is shattered by the unexpected arrival of Mathilde, a former student of Henry’s, with whom he previously shared an intimate connection. As the evening unfolds, each find themselves face to face with a reckoning that indelibly tilts the axis of their lives.
Inspired by Ibsen, My Master Builder is a startling new play by Lila Raicek that lays bare the vulnerabilities we expose, when we leave ourselves open to love.
Ewan McGregor returns to the London stage, reuniting with director Michael Grandage, to lead the company of Lila Raicek’s new play My Master Builder.
__Assisted performances__
Captioned Performance - Saturday 24 May 2025 at 2:30pm
Audio Described Performance - Saturday 14 June 2025 at 2:30pm
It always raises eyebrows when a writer with no playwrighting experience gets to make their debut in the West End, and with such a starry cast. Lila Raicek may hold an MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University, but her script is clunky and expositional at best. Lines such as “you look too beautiful to be real” should have been removed after the first draft and lead to several episodes of unintentional laughter from the audience.
Debicki channels the effortless grace she brought to Princess Diana in The Crown, ethereal in costume designer Richard Kent’s steel-coloured gown. However, she only really comes alive when facing Fleetwood, who gives a charged performance as Elena, seeking sexual validation from young architect Ragnar (charismatically portrayed by David Ajala) while yearning for emotional intimacy from her husband. Elena is broken and vulnerable, revealing the impact of two miscarriages following the death of her son; she is also biting and cruel, tearing down another woman in revenge for what she has lost. Fleetwood perfectly balances these complexities, and holds the production together with her acerbic tongue and shattering revelations.
| 2025 | West End |
West End |
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