The Countess

Genre: Drama
Opened 7 June 2005
Written: by Gregory Murphy
Directed: Ludovica Villar-Hauser
Cast: Nick Moran (John Ruskin), Alison Pargeter (Effie), Damian O'Hare (Millais) Gerald Harper (Mr Ruskin), Jean Boht (Mrs Ruskin ), Linda Thorson (Lady Elizabeth Eastlake)
Synopsis: In 1853, the celebrated art critic John Ruskin, his wife Effie, and the Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais depart in high spirits for the Scottish Highlands. When they return four months later, London is already beginning to whisper of the woman one man calls mad, and the other...The Countess.

What the critics had to say.....
NICK CURTIS for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "Poor old Nick Moran. In a bid to escape typecasting as a Lock, Stock geezer, he finds himself utterly miscast as the art critic John Ruskin in this risible mock-Victorian melodrama.......Ludovica Villar-Hauser's hopelessly stiff and oldfashioned production only compounds the play's flaws. " MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "As the play slowly unwound, I kept wondering what Murphy felt he was adding to a moderately well-known story." SAM MARLOWE for THE TIMES says, "Murphy's writing is painfully stilted, and devoid of complexity or emotional truth.....There's no delicacy or insight here — only an overwrought overload of sickly sentiment. Pointless." SERENA DAVIES for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "The play looks distinctly sub-standard. In fact, it's mediocre, undistinguished and obvious..."

External links to full reviews from popular press
The Guardian
The Times
Daily Telegraph