Les Parents Terribles, Trafalgar Studios

Cocteau's opium-fuelled farce is given full throttle by Frances Barber and co

by Veronica LeeMonday, 29 November 2010

Smotherly love: Frances Barber and Tom Byam ShawAlastair Muir

This is the final production in the Donmar Warehouse’s 12-week season at Trafalgar Studios (which showcases the work of its resident assistant directors) and is a revival of Jeremy Sams’s translation of Jean Cocteau’s play - first seen in Sean Mathias’s acclaimed production at the National Theatre in 1994, with a cast that included Jude Law, Alan Howard and Sheila Gish.

There’s an awful lot of emoting occurring here (Barber certainly gives it full choke) and never has a chaise longue seen so much action

Buy

Explore topics

Share this article

The future of Arts Journalism

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £49,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

more Theatre

Nye, National Theatre review - Michael Sheen's full-blooded Bevan returns to the Olivier Revisiting Tim Price's dream-set account of the founder of the health service

theartsdesk at the Ravenna Festival 2025 - Cervantes, Beethoven and Byron transfigured Muti revitalised by young musicians, and a three-year theatre project reaches completion

Girl From The North Country, Old Vic review - Dylan's songs fail to lift the mood Fragmented, cliched story rescued by tremendous acting, singing and music

The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare's Globe review - hedonistic fizz for a summer's evening Emma Pallant and Katherine Pearce are formidable opponents to Falstaff's buffoonery

Run Sister Run, Arcola Theatre review - emphatic emotions, overwrought production Chloë Moss’s latest play about the different lives of two sisters is deeply felt

Intimate Apparel, Donmar Warehouse review - stirring story of Black survival in 1905 New York An early Lynn Nottage work gets a superb cast and production

Hercules, Theatre Royal Drury Lane review - new Disney stage musical is no 'Lion King' Big West End crowdpleaser lacks punch and poignancy with join-the-dots plotting and cookie-cutter characters

Showmanism, Hampstead Theatre review - lip-synced investigation of words, theatricality and performance Technically accomplished production with Dickie Beau never settles into a coherent whole

4.48 Psychosis, Royal Court review - powerful but déjà vu Sarah Kane’s groundbreaking play gets a nostalgic anniversary reboot

Joyceana around Bloomsday, Dublin review - flawless adaptations of great dramatic writing Chapters and scenes from 'Ulysses', 'Dubliners' and a children’s story vividly done

Stereophonic, Duke of York's Theatre review - rich slice of creative life delivered by a 1970s rock band David Adjmi's clever and compelling hit play gets a crack London cast

North by Northwest, Alexandra Palace review - Hitchcock adaptation fails to fly Emma Rice's storytelling at fault in misconceived production

Follow @theartsdesk