The Breath of Life

David Hare's new play offers the unsurpassable opportunity to see not one but two of theatreland's finest appearing together on stage. Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench offer, quite simply, a masterclass in acting and though there may be the odd wobble in the play itself, nothing but the highest praise goes to this dynamic duo.

 

Production photos from EPO

Notices from the popular press....

MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "Smoothly written and superbly performed."RHODA KOENIG for THE INDEPENDENT says, "Listless production...Laughter is as thin on the ground as theatrical sparks." BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "Elegantly, shrewdly and wittily written...beautifully played by the dames; but the conclusion is deliberately unclear." BBC ONLINE says, "Evenings at the theatre do not come much richer, wiser or neater.." CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Two great dames rise magnificently to the occasion." MICHAEL COVENEY for THE DAILY MAIL says, "This is Maggie Smith's evening" And goes on to say, "Disappointingly, it does not ignite a theatrical 'head-to-head' in the way one was expecting." NICHOLAS DE JONGH for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "These sexagenarians are absolutely riveting.....Both actresses , but pre-eminently Dame Maggie, breathe the oxygen of dramatic life into David Hare's new ..play."

External links to full reviews from newspapers

The Guardian
The Independent
The Times
BBC Online
Daily Telegraph
Daily Mail

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