Middle (play) explained

Middle
Characters:Maggie
Gary
Place:Dorfman Theatre
Orig Lang:English

Middle is a 2022 play by David Eldridge. A two-hander, Middle is the second of three plays exploring love and relationships, following Beginning.[1] [2]

Plot

Middle follows Maggie and Gary in what is the middle of their relationship. When Maggie drops the bombshell of "I don’t think I love you any more", the play explores their relationship and how they are to move forward.

Productions

Directed by Polly Findlay, the play opened in the Dorfman at the National Theatre on 4 May 2022, following previews from 27 April.[3] It played a limited run to 18 June 2022. The cast featured Claire Rushbrook as Maggie and Daniel Ryan as Gary.

Critical reception

In her four star review for Time Out, Caroline McGinn says the play "is always gripping, often painfully funny, and mostly deeply sad. Director Polly Findlay manages the pace and the sad/funny balance beautifully."[4] Arifa Akbar for The Guardian gave the play three stars out of five and stated that it "feels like a true and tender representation of a marriage in its middle stages, a drama that is tepid at times, a little plodding and soft around the edges but forging on."[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2021-11-01 . Middle . 2022-09-04 . National Theatre.
  2. Web site: 2022-05-25 . 'Middle' review — David Eldridge's marital drama is sincere but too conservative . 2022-09-04 . London Theatre.
  3. Web site: Rabinowitz . Chloe . New David Eldridge Play MIDDLE to Open in April at the National Theatre . 2022-09-04 . BroadwayWorld.com . en.
  4. Web site: McGinn . Caroline . Couples look away: ‘Middle’ at the National Theatre is a truly painful depiction of middle-class marriage . 2022-09-04 . Time Out London . en-GB.
  5. Web site: 2022-05-05 . Middle review – marital and midlife reckoning brings gags and gripes . 2022-09-04 . the Guardian . en.