Play of the week: Before the Party, Almeida Theatre, London N1
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.There are yelps of scandalised laughter throughout Matthew Dunster's miraculously acted revival of a 1949 gem by Rodney Ackland.
Set in Surrey amid the middle-classes in 1949, it focuses on a family who are preparing to go to a social-climbing function that the stuffy father (Alex Price) can't miss. It all goes wrong when his daughter (Katherine Parkinson, brilliant) tells them part of the reason she's a widow.
Part of the comedy flows from the way that, even when talk of murder et al silences the crew, self-interest soon re-asserts itself. Stella Gonet is beyond praise as the mother and Dunster retains control of the play's waverings of mood. Sheer spiky bliss.
020 7359 4404, to 11 May
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments